Arrow War of Faith

by Dellore of VersatileCreativity

My name is -Error- with one goal, to save Star City. With -Error- Oliver Queen, out of jail and most of Team Arrow assembled, we fight to save Star City from those who would -Error- ...become someone else. Become something else. I am -Error- (Sequel to Arrow: Rise of the Vigilantes and Elseworlds: the Chosen).

6. Episode 6: A House Divided

Author's Notes: Hello, Readers! It has been quite a while since I uploaded a chapter, much longer than I usually delay, and I apologize for taking so long. I have actually been working on other projects and services besides fanfiction. They have been taking up more of my focus, and I have enjoyed doing them, the projects especially.

Unfortunately, that means fanfiction is a low priority. I am doing my best to finish this story. Team Arrow's quest and the Queen family's struggles must be told. Even so, expect these to come out on a more infrequent basis. I am looking into doing shorter formats for the future and maybe for other fanfics outside of the Arrowverse. Thank you all for your enduring patience, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

---

Disclaimer: Based on characters and stories created by DC Universe and the CW, which I do not own. Enjoy!

---

My name is William Queen,

A man from the future who has come to the past with one goal,

To save Star City.

Unfortunately, Knightwatch and ARGUS have fallen into the hands of those who would kill and manipulate

Under a misguided goal of forcing Heaven on Earth.

But the Lord, my God, has shown me how to combat these delusional idealists,

By enlisting those outside of their influence.

And one such person happens to be here, in Star City.

---

Episode 6: A House Divided

---

In the dead of night, in the corner of Star City docks unoccupied by any ship, crew, or maintenance employee, there was a gathering of odd individuals about. Many were dressed as medieval knights, though their armor seemed to have been made of more modern material. A few of them wielded swords, some paired with shields, while others carried assault rifles. They all stood around a lone, blue container, its contents sealed shut and unknown. What they were waiting for was a mystery as well.

Suddenly, the knights' casual and relaxed strolls and stances became firm and professional. Another knight, clothed in black and hooded, appeared from a stack of containers across from them. The knights fell to one knee, bowing before the hooded knight, exclaiming, "Deacon!"

This Deacon person raised a hand up high. "Arise." The Deacon's voice is deep, almost intimidating. Yet, a hint of some Southern accent is buried in the mechanical tones.

The knights followed his command almost immediately. The Deacon looks at the nearest knight. "Bring them out."

The head knight nods to the armed guards near the container. They nod back and open the hatches. So far, not even the light can shine on whatever is in there. The knights drag a few unrecognizable men by the zip ties restraining their hands. The Deacon walks up to them, looking down like a warden looming over inmates.

One of the prisoners, a man with moderately long and disheveled hair, looks up at the Deacon and gives a contemptible smirk. "Hey there, Blackfire. Long time no see, TRAITOR."

The prisoner spits on the helmet of this Deacon Blackfire. All the other knights raise their weapons, ready to deal brutal deathblows on this guy. However, Deacon Blackfire holds out a hand for them to remain still. He wipes the spit off of his helmet.

"You call ME a traitor, yet I explicitly remember YOU leading me into that den filled with Thanatos Assassins. Your plot would have succeeded had it not been for Chimera warning me of it."

The prisoner rose as high as his knees would let him. "You stand against EVERYTHING the Ninth Circle fights for! You would rather see the world BURN than assert the dominance that has grown strong over the past seven-and-a-half centuries."

Deacon Blackfire scoffs as he backs away. "You're right. I would see this world burn because the Lord would. He said he did not come to unite, but to set the world on fire, to turn everyone against each other." From the pocket of his cloak, he takes out a simple Glock pistol and aims it at the prisoner. "He knew that our differences lead to conflicts that perpetuate sin and immorality, and the only solution is to burn it all down. I know this just as those who fell fighting for the Order of St. Dismas before I had."

The prisoner opens his mouth, but Deacon Blackfire shoots a bullet right through the center of his chest before he can get a word out. However, no blood is trickling out as he collapses to the ground. Instead, his body from the bullet wound begins to quickly melt away. The prisoner screams and writhes in agony as if he is burning.

The Deacon then elaborates, almost ecstatically, "And I'm letting you have a preview of the world's FATE."

By now, the mysterious acid has eaten up a sizable portion of his torso. His heart, kidneys, and the upper sections of his gallbladder and pancreas are virtually nonexistent. The man's screaming turns into garbling and choking. He attempts to hold in any small breath as the absence of vital organs takes its toll. Eventually, the man ceases struggling and stops trying to delay the inevitable.

The other two begin begging and pleading for mercy as the prisoner's skin turns pale. They scream, "Let us serve you!" or "We won't turn on you again!"

The Deacon says nothing to them. He turns to the henchman beside him and whispers something in his ear. He then walks off as the knights take the prisoners and drag them back into their canister cell.

This is…disgusting.

Helena resists the urge to vomit, still staring at the corpse from above her shadowy perch that the knights casually haul away to be disposed of. She is glad she had recorded all of this; otherwise, this excursion would have been a waste.

This is it. This HAS to be what Midas was working on. I could send this straight to the police and…and…

Her eyes slide down to the phone in her hand, gripped tightly.

…and then what? Midas is friends with the Mayor, who won't budge unless backed into a corner. Oliver's working for ARGUS, and who knows what they'll do if they get their hands on whatever Midas is making.

She then looks back down at the scene of the murderer, remembering the man's melting chest in vivid detail.

But they HAVE to know. At the very least, I must nudge them in the right direction.

With the knights dispersing, Helena retreats from her perch and, with her crossbow, shoots an arrow at the crane above so her decent to the floor below won't lead to her death.

I have to do this. I vowed to leave this all behind, but I can't sit by and let this happen. I just can't fall into old habits.

As soon as Helena touches the ground, she begins to sprint away. From scouting the place out before getting to her perch, no more knights are nearby. Though, to be extra careful, she loads a more lethal arrow into her crossbow.

I won't become the villain again. Not this time. You're someone else this time, something else. Something better than the Huntress.

---

"Hi, you've reached Connor Hawke. I'm indisposed at the moment, so please leave a message. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Hey 'Connor,' it's Da—um, Oliver. I know you might be in your room, still mulling over…what happened yesterday. But I've got some news that might cheer you up. Get back to me when you can."

Oliver hangs up as the elevator doors open, revealing the inside of the Bunker. He lets out a huge sigh as he walks past the large platform which sits the team's supercomputer, where Felicity usually sits. However, Oliver preferred her at home, which keeps her and their new baby safe from harm. Luckily, Curtis has been a suitable replacement while Felicity has been bonding with Mia.

He heads to the small training area and takes his shirt off. He starts hitting and weaving his arms on and around the three protruding sticks of his dummy, the points he must block and strengthen his arm muscles and bones. However, the bag itself is also soft enough to apply his elbows, kicks, and any other unarmed movement he can think of to practice his hybrid style. Primarily, he just practices to help him process some things and let his emotions flow from his mind to his body.

Right now, his mind and body cooperate harmoniously with each strike. His attacks are soft but also flow seamlessly and quickly. To him, this means that he is overjoyed. He pictures himself with his new family, with Felicity and a young William, holding baby Mia in his arms. He can see a life where he is at peace. No conflict, strife, or worries outside of providing for his children, nothing standing between him and Felicity's love.

No Green Arrow.

The trajectory of his last punch alters at the thought, skidding the side of the dummy. He steps back, shaking his head.

What? No! Of course, there needs to be a Green Arrow. Star City needs its protector, its arbiter of justice.

He looks at the display cases containing everyone's suits, especially his own. He has forgotten how many people have entered the fold since he started his mission, how many have left, and how many kept fighting even when he was gone.

But maybe…No! The last time I was gone, everybody went their own way, split up. I can't take that risk again. They'll just let the city become chaotic again. And Mia…

His eyes fall on her display case, on the black and yellow colored costume.

What Mia is turning into after the last mission, all of those people she battered and bruised. Like Felicity said, we have to be there to guide and fight for her. But…as what?

Suddenly, his phone starts ringing in his pocket. Hoping it may be William, he takes it out and answers, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Connor?"

"No, it's Emiko. Did you not check your caller ID?"

What enthusiasm was in Oliver's voice is wiped away with a quick clearing of his throat to save face. "I, uh, misread it." He then realizes that it was Emiko calling him. He looks around the room, not seeing her anywhere. "Wait a minute, where are you?"

"At a restaurant a few blocks away. I'll text you the name."

"Emiko, you're not supposed to be—"

The call disconnects before Oliver can warn her. Emiko was not supposed to be about without him or anyone else, not even on missions. If ARGUS finds out, she's in trouble. However, there are cameras here. How have they not caught her already?

I'll have to find out later.

With the restaurant's address now texted to him, he rushes out of the bunker to find her before ARGUS does.

---

Emiko breathes in the café air. Being stuck in an underground bunker for nearly two months with nothing to do but train and wait for someone to take her out somewhere was getting to her. It wasn't that bad, considering that she and her mother grew up in a neighborhood with worse living conditions. The air around their apartment building was musty, filled with the stench of trash, cigarettes, and the occasional drug or two.

Now, it seems, her patience has been rewarded. Dante had told her this would happen beforehand, that her collaboration with him would pay dividends. And now…

"Emiko!"

Her brother, Oliver, is standing right next to her. She didn't even hear him enter. Fortunately, this place is not busy. Otherwise, Oliver would have attracted more unwanted attention than his presence already has. She looks up at him, his expression more worried than angry.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Her arm points to the café's counter, the baked goods and the menu with countless hot and cold drinks. "Getting you and me a couple of espressos. I didn't know which one you exactly liked, so I—"

"WHY are you out on your own?"

Emiko raises an eyebrow. "Director Michaels didn't tell you?" Oliver shakes his head, which makes Emiko all the happier that she can tell him herself. "As of today, I'm no longer bound to the Bunker. I am a free woman."

As expected, the news shocks Oliver, becoming momentarily speechless. He snaps out of it as a waitress brings over their drinks, which forces Oliver to take a seat.

Emiko continues, "And that's not all. She told me of Connor's leave of absence and has asked me to take his place while he's gone."

Oliver gives a small smile, though it is plain to Emiko that he is still processing the information. "Well, I'm…glad that Lyla has as much trust in you as I do."

"Is it trust…or is it that our new boss told her to do so?"

Oliver's smile fades. "Emiko, Dante is not our—"

"He has a Deputy Director on his side ready to swoop in and take her place as soon as she steps out of line. I'm pretty sure he just made himself our boss."

"He's not the type of person I would want as a boss."

"Then you're ignorant, Oliver. I've been training with him since I was ten years old, been on missions around Star City at the age of seventeen. His support put food on my plate as well as my mother's. HE'S the reason we're alive."

Oliver leans in, his eyes almost piercing Emiko's. "Do you have ANY idea what he put my son through last night, what he put my daughter through, YOUR nephew and niece? He nearly TRAUMATIZED them, as did Beatrice."

Emiko calmy takes a sip from her caramel-flavored espresso, remembering her first few missions under Beatrice. Emiko was the catcher while Beatrice waited on her to bring their target back so she could deal the punishments. Emiko never liked the brutality and was glad to be on her own eventually, mainly being a spy or infiltrator. She never liked taking lives that she didn't have to, and Dante understood this.

"I know what Beatrice is like. I don't like her either, but Dante has his reasons for keeping her on."

"And your saying that justifies killing nearly a whole prison just to make an example of William?"

Emiko's eyes widen without her consent. She cannot form any words to refute his claim, nor can her brain conjure any. She has never heard of this level of brutality from Beatrice. It is rumored that she took on a whole group of men with nothing but her bare fists, but Emiko always took that as just defending herself from a bunch of attackers. Beatrice was cruel, but never had she shown herself to be sadistic.

"I-I didn't know—"

"Guys!"

The sound of John's voice from behind Oliver catches their attention. Emiko didn't even see him coming. She didn't know whether to blame it on concentrating on the moment or the sudden shock of Beatrice's latest exploits.

Worried about how he found them, Emiko asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Oliver texted. He said you would be here with him."

"Texted?" Emiko's worry turns into annoyance when her gaze shifts to Oliver. "I thought we were going to be talking alone."

With a calm tone, Oliver explains, "He contacted me on the way. It couldn't be avoided."

"Lyla gave us our latest assignment. We're to head to SCPD."

She wanted to retort that it was Dante's orders, not Director Michael's. However, the already heated tension between her and Oliver makes her change course, "Why SCPD?"

For some reason, John grins. "You'll see." He then walks out ahead of them. "Come on. Car's outside."

Oliver nods and proceeds to get up. When John is out of earshot, Emiko then pleads, "Oliver, I honestly didn't know—"

Oliver puts up a hand for her to stop. "Let's just save this for later. Okay?"

He then walks to the door, not saying another word. Emiko follows, muffling her irritated breath. Everything Emiko wanted to lay on Oliver, here of all places, has been put on a frustrating delay. Not to mention, her long-awaited date with the captured Longbow Hunters will also take a back seat.

Stay calm, Emiko. You've been patient this far. Just hold out a little bit longer.

---

The drive to the SCPD precinct was silent between Oliver and Emiko. He still couldn't believe that Emiko would defend a man like Dante, who proved himself to be a manipulator and murderer. From what Emiko says, Dante has wormed his way into her life, taking advantage of a child whose father abandoned her and her mother. Even though Emiko disapproved of Beatrice, Oliver would not hear another word. Maybe when his anger is quelled, but not now.

Luckily, when they arrived at the precinct, someone outside the entrance also brought some relief to Oliver and John as well.

The SCPD captain and former Black Canary give them a friendly smile. "Welcome back to SCPD, boys."

Dinah gives them both a friendly hug, one at a time. John speaks for both himself and Oliver, "It's good to see you, Dinah."

Upon further examination, Dinah doesn't look like the pale, barely alive patient bleeding out onto the dirty floor of Stanley's hideout. She has a lot of her color back, her long, brown hair free from blood stains. However, there is one noticeable difference Oliver and John noticed. There is a scar where the Deacon had sliced open Dinah's throat. They say nothing about it, but Dinah seems to have caught on to them. "I know. It took me time to adjust to it too."

Oliver asks, "Is it permanent?"

"Maybe, but it'll fade as time goes on."

"You wanted to see us?" Emiko's question and tone indicate her desire to get to the mission already. Oliver traded a quick snarl and her impatience, but Dinah seemed unphased by it. Instead, her attention is on John. "Yeah, I did. I needed help from ARGUS, but instead, Lyla made me aware of a predicament that I swore was nothing more than a prank. Lyla NEVER pranks."

Oliver and John look at each other with concerned glances. Somehow, they both knew that it would come to this. The only people that weren't in the loop about the Ninth Circle's "alliance" with ARGUS were Dinah because she was out of action, and Rene, who wanted to take time off to take care of her.

Dinah is reacting as Oliver expected, "What were you thinking, striking a working relationship with Dante?"

John tries to explain, "This wasn't our choice. He tricked us and threatened a hostile takeover."

"But I thought you would've had a plan for these things! You ALWAYS do."

Oliver steps in. "Not this time. Dante was ahead of us on this one."

"And he always will be. Frankly, I would've said that a fight with him was suicide anyways." Emiko's words did not help things.

Dinah pushes past Oliver and John and stares her right in the eyes. "YOU helped us."

"I was helping you to take down the Deacon, to find my mother's killers. You have no idea what resources Dante has at his disposal. If anything—"

"ENOUGH!" Oliver gets in between them, trying to ensure no fight breaks out. "We're stuck with the Ninth Circle and need to tolerate it. At least, for now."

Oliver can hear Dinah suppressing the urge to protest, to cry out that it was an injustice all the same and that it was unfair. Yet, she must also understand ARGUS' predicament. She has to constantly curry favor with Mayor Pollard, even though many, not even Dinah, haven't precisely favored her anti-vigilante stance.

Eventually, Dinah nods. "Follow me."

Dinah heads into the precinct entrance, and the others follow. Still, what Emiko said about her reasons for helping them keeps bothering Oliver. He knew Emiko had joined them to find her mother's killers. But what she said about Dante and his resources sounded a bit off. She must have known they were thinking about fighting him too. They nearly infiltrated one of their operations. So, why help ARGUS despite this?

Emiko's hiding something. I hate to admit it, but there's something more to it. She can't just have this unwavering loyalty. There must be a reason.

---

Within the confines of the SCPD's morgue, Rene becomes impatient. He wants to remove the white cloth and find out something before the Ninth Circle does. Now that they have control of ARGUS, Rene wants to find an advantage that can be exploited or covered up. The temptation eats him up on the inside, but he fights it. He knows that if he tampered with anything, it would lead back to him. Besides, it's just Knightwatch members that'll be looking at the body. They know how to keep a secret from higher-ups that they all mutually want to see rot in jail.

Speaking of, Dinah returns with two of them, Oliver and John, in tow. Rene is about to grin, but then he notices Emiko, Oliver's half-sister, among them. It isn't an unwelcome surprise, but usually, she would just be in the Bunker unless she was at Oliver's apartment or on a mission.

Instead of a greeting, Rene asks, "Since when did she come to analyze evidence with us?"

Emiko answers ahead of everyone else, "Since I was told I was no longer on curfew."

Rene smiles but is still skeptical about her sudden freedom. "Promotion. Nice."

Emiko might have noticed his subtle sarcasm since her half-grin looks identical.

"Can we get on with this?" Dinah moves to the top part of the table that holds whoever's corpse lies there. She extends a hand but stops as her fingertips reach the sheet. "Fair warning, this will most likely be gruesome to all of you."

Everyone gives nods of acknowledgment, Rene included. Though, he's not worried. They've seen some messed up stuff over the years; recently, a psychopathic killer obsessed with Oliver, his mind warped by his parents' abuse. This can't be all that…

Oh God!

Rene thought this too soon. With the sheet entirely off, Rene witnesses a body mutilated in a way only one in a million people may ever see. The man's chest and beyond is nearly eradicated. Many of his vital organs around the area are nowhere to be seen. As Rene's shock quickly flies away, he notices the pattern of the missing chest. It is not cut away, for the edges of the pattern are singed off, like in a fire. However, if that were the case, there would be burn marks or ash on the body. Also, it is not just the chest that has a hole. Whatever did this also went through his back, like a drill chiseling through stone.

After uncomfortably clearing her throat, Dinah explains, "The coroner concluded that the hole created here was from a chemical agent, most likely acid. He believes the man here was killed last night."

Oliver asks, "Where did you find this body?"

"She didn't. WE did."

From the shadows of the entrance, two men enter the room. The villainous Dante and the traitor Deputy Director Bell are wearing those two-piece suits Rene would only wear if needed. Their stare and their walk are familiar to Rene. They act like the dominant presence, as if they matter more than anyone else in the room, like they deserve praise. Thankfully, everyone else either remains neutral or stares contemptuously, including Rene. However, he can spot a slight grin on Emiko, as if she is glad he's here.

Dinah clears her throat. "Mr. Dante. I thought you were running late."

"Yes, well, I actually arrived early. I wanted a look around the premises." Dante touches one of the cement walls just before the rows of metal trays containing bodies over a week old. "You can find so much history in buildings like these. Did you know that the SCPD was once a jailhouse and a church? A rare hybrid. Prisoners would be given lectures over bible passages every Sunday night."

Since when did guys like him have any interest in Star City's history?

Dante's hand slips away from the wall. He trots to the body as if his little monologue never happened. "We found him just before he could be disposed of. A tragic loss."

Bell then chimes in, "ARGUS received a tip last night in the form of an anonymous video. It was meant for Knightwatch, but we monitor their feeds." He looks over the deceased man. "The body here was one of ours. He was tasked to kill Blackfire alongside some of the assassins of the Thanatos Guild."

Rene snickers. "We all know how that turned out." John gives a scolding stare, which Rene just shrugs. "Just saying."

Bell continues as if the comment was never made, "According to the video, this man was killed by a very experimental weapon: a bullet laced with acid."

This fact almost made Rene's brain crash. He had seen some unusual stuff like metas and aliens, but a bullet that could contain acid without melting or disrupting any faculties of the gun itself? From everyone else's expressions, they're all feeling the same way.

Dante explains, "It was a project Blackfire and I approved of. If perfected within the next twenty years, we would have every agent outfitted with acid-laced weapons to guarantee an effective and intimidating death. But now, it's being turned against us."

Oliver asks, "If you've approved it, then you would know the supplier?"

Dante nods, "Indeed, we do."

Bell pulls a manilla folder from his suit and hands it to Dinah. "James Midas. He is the head of Midas Medical."

Rene walks over and looks at the file with everyone else. Like Dante and Bell, this Midas guy is wearing an expensive tux. What made him stand out was his gaunt face and his black combed hair, parted to the side. He seemed to be in his late 30s from his few wrinkles and healthy face, but he could be in his 40s.

Rene scoffs. "Typical. Guy uses a medical license as a front to create biological weapons."

Dinah argues, "This guy's contributions say otherwise. His medical expertise extends to the poor and destitute. He has a clinic here in the Glades."

Dante nods. "Indeed, he was quite the philanthropist. He joined us hoping that his knowledge in chemical warfare would be used on criminals, which Blackfire respected. It seems he has put us on his list of criminals."

It wouldn't be too far off. Rene thinks it, not wanting to risk provoking Dante or face John's ire.

Emiko surmises, "Then our mission is to find Midas and take him down."

"No." Dinah closes the manilla folder hard. "This body is not enough. We do this by the book, meaning evidence of Midas' wrongdoings and him in handcuffs."

"And on that, we agree." Everyone, even Emiko, is taken aback by Dante's statement. "What good is bringing order if we put ourselves above every trivial matter?"

Rene subtly scoffs.

Dante continues, "Besides, Midas may be the key to discovering more about his associates here in the city. His intel will be invaluable."

"Unlike Burov?"

Oliver's comment flies over Rene's head, and most likely Dinah's, given her confused expression. However, John becomes uneasy, and Dante gives him a despicable stare.

Did something happen that I don't know about?

Bell clears his throat. "Fortunately, we have pinpointed the most likely location where Blackfire and Midas will meet to trade the acid chemicals. We'll collaborate with the SCPD to set up an ambush and take Midas down."

Dante adds, "Emiko and Blackstar will be paired up for this one and be your eyes in the sky. Whatever you want Athena to do, be my guest."

Bell finishes, "John and Oliver, you will bring Mr. Harper, Captain Drake, and Mr. Ramirez. SCPD will cover any escape routes with you on the ground."

The plan sounds solid to Rene. However, he notices someone missing from this debrief. "Where's Red Arrow in this picture?"

Dante explains, "Red Arrow is on leave. He has recommended Athena to take his place. Lord knows why."

Rene raises an eyebrow. Will on a leave of absence?

Dante takes the manilla folder from Dinah's hand. "So, with that out of the way, prepare for tonight and pray that things go without a synch." His eyes then fall on Emiko. "But before you go with them, I want a private word."

Dante, Emiko, and Bell leave, the three of them looking behind to see if anything else is happening. As soon as they are out of sight, Rene whispers to Oliver, "Is Will really out of this?"

Oliver shrugs. "He's…been through a lot."

As the rest leave, Rene subtly looks back, his eyes darting at specific parts of the morgue. He knows there are hidden cameras around with a good overview of the place, which William mentioned he kept in case he had to look at the body later.

Hope you're not sitting this one out Will. Right now, you're the ace in our sleeve.

---

William Queen, aka Red Arrow, jumps onto the next building and stays perched when he sees the limo slow down. It stops in front of a small church William recognizes, "St. Michaels." It is Episcopalian, as seen by the more minimalist architecture and the lack of murals.

Helena Bertinelli, whom he has been following, steps out and walks inside. Even from this distance, Red Arrow can see her face. He is caught a bit off guard when she looks left and right.

She looks…a lot like Mom. She could easily be a sister, not a cousin. Do all Bertinelli's just look alike?

William's thoughts drift to the revelation that his grandmother was a member of the Bertinelli crime family, his grandfather her bodyguard. Their criminal connections were why his mother ran to the Ninth Circle. He never knew what his grandparents did to make amends with his mother, but he assumes that hiding her child from the Ninth Circle was involved.

These thoughts are brief, floating away as Helena enters the church.

Why would she be here, of all places?

---

Stepping inside, Helena expected this place to look like the church from her childhood. She expected something very artsy, murals on the side windows and a glorious statue of Christ on the cross. Memories of an altar flanked by various smaller murals high above and a collage of statues depicting the Saints or Mary and Joseph fly by her. She expected the tabernacle to be made of the finest sheen of gold or at least something that looked like it.

However, this Episcopal Church looked empty compared to her old Catholic one. There is an alter and a few murals, a cross behind it. The tabernacle is a wooden case, making it hard to identify until she could see the bread inside. It feels somewhat strange, but her mother did tell her that other denominations were different, especially in architecture. Still, this feels like an incomplete building, like only the foundation was established.

Luckily, no one else is here, making finding the little one easy. She is sitting in one of the middle pews, her hands clasped together in prayer, as Helena did while her mother was alive. She slowly walks up to the little one, not wanting to disturb her.

As Helena nears the pew, she calls her name, "Bianca."

Bianca turns to Helena after saying, "Amen." Her eyes look the same as when Helena found her, wearing that same blue jacket and the pink backpack, contrasting with her black, braided hair. The darkness, a depressing aura, surrounds Bianca and makes her pupils a shade darker. It is as if her childhood happiness was ripped away.

Bianca asks, "Did they tell you that I ran again?"

Helena nods. "I told them I would pick you up."

"You haven't before."

"Well, I thought you needed someone to talk to."

"I already did."

Bianca points to the ceiling above them. There was a time Helena would ask God to make her mother better. She died of her illness almost a week after her symptoms worsened. It was when Helena became disillusioned not with God's existence but his purpose in her life.

Helena tries to tell Bianca, "You know that there's a chapel at the orphan—"

"It's not the same!" Bianca's angry tone almost makes Helena jump. "It's not the place where Mom and Dad took me. It doesn't feel like…" She looks at the cross again. "…It's not home."

Helena sighs. What she will say next is going to be difficult. She kneels down and places a hand on Bianca's shoulder. "I know you want your parents back, but prayer is not going to—"

"I'm not praying to get them back." She looks at Helena with light shimmers in her eyes, tears that she is holding back. "I'm praying that the man who took them from me is brought to justice. I prayed that he gets EXACTLY what he deserves."

Again, Bianca's tone is angry but also harsher. Helena starts to worry, knowing this kind of behavior. Bianca wants more than justice, something more sinister and satisfying. Yet, she does not really know what she is asking for. Helena learned the hard way that all that it will lead to is the feeling of emptiness.

Bianca then asks, "He is going to face justice, isn't he?"

Helena does not know how to answer this. She swore that she would take down James Midas but not kill anybody. She knows that is not what Bianca is referring to, but she sees no other way. Midas somehow has the power of the government on his side, has managed to cover up the death of Bianca's parents, and reduced any mentions of the incident to mere footnotes on the news. If it ever came to that...

Helena tightens her grip on Bianca's shoulder. "Midas WILL face justice. I promise."

Bianca grins a bit, the darkness in her eyes lightening a bit.

"Now, the limo out there will take you back to the orphanage. I want you to stay there and follow everything the nuns tell you. Okay?"

Bianca nods but asks, "Aren't you coming?"

"I need to do something, but I'll visit."

Without another word, Helena escorts Bianca out of the church and opens the limo door, where one of the nuns waits for them. She tells the nun, "The driver doesn't need to worry about picking me up. Go on ahead without me."

She then closes the door and waits for the limo to drive away before returning to the church. She sits in the first pew, far from the alter, and opens her bag. Inside is her suit, which was surprisingly a good fit in such a small handbag. On top of it is her crossbow and arrows, ready to be used for whatever comes her way tonight. The only problem is she has no idea what exactly she will do. But she knows that tracking down Midas is a—

"If you're thinking about being an arbiter of vengeance, know that it is a path very few come back from."

A loud, deep voice echos around her. She frantically spins, trying to find out where it originated from. She takes up the crossbow, ready in case it comes down to a fight.

"But you would know, Ms. Bertinelli."

Out of nowhere, a black cloaked figure jumps down in the middle section. Helena quickly aims her bow but does not fire. It is not one of the knights from the docks but instead someone who has been all over the news lately. The red streak of his hood, the red slits of his eyes, and the red arrowhead emblem are dead giveaways, even if the near-black color scheme almost betrays the name.

The vigilante Red Arrow stands there, staring at Helena, not making any moves. Admittedly, Helena is a bit unnerved by this, more by how he immediately identified her.

"Or should I call you Huntress?"

Helena raises the crossbow, showing no outward signs of fear. However, she knows that she won't be able to take this guy down. It has been a couple of years since she has fought anyone.

"Why are you here?"

Red Arrow raises a hand toward her. "Not to fight. We share a common enemy."

"How would you know—"

"You mentioned someone named Midas. Is it James Midas?"

Helena raises an eyebrow. "You know him?"

Red Arrow shakes his head. "Not personally. But I know he's been supplying chemicals that can be laced into bullets to create a deadly weapon. I also know who he's supplying."

"You mean the knights in shining armor?"

Red Arrow tilts his head. "How do you…" His head straightens, the red slits piercing her eyes. "You were there. You're the one who sent the video."

Helena hesitates in answering.

Why am I telling him anything? I don't even know him. For all I know, he could be working for Midas or those knights.

"Helena, if I was one of them, I would have killed or captured you regardless of your intent. You know this." Again, his foresight scares Helena. Either that, or he's noticed her finger instinctually pressing on the trigger. She doesn't blame herself, given that his mask is identical to that of a dead homicidal maniac.

"I want to stop these people just as much as you do, but I need your trust."Red Arrow's raised hand extends into an inviting gesture. "I ask as a mutual friend of Oliver Queen's."

The mention of Oliver's name comforts Helena, but not by much. "Are you working for ARGUS as well?"

"I work WITH them. They have NO idea I'm doing this. They would have sent Oliver, not me, if they did."

As much as Helena tries to find a hole in the logic, she can't. ARGUS knew of her previous relationship with Oliver, how he tried to see the good in her when no one else did. There were times when he would tug at her heartstrings to stop her from doing something stupid, which she almost always resisted. That was something ARGUS would totally take advantage of.

Helena finally nods. "I followed a lead I found, a dock that was used by Midas for his personal use. I saw the lead knight put a bullet through the guy, monologuing about ending the world in fire."

"You mean Deacon Blackfire?"

Helena nods, though she could not help but find the name "Blackfire" ironic and a bit goofy. Still, she holds in the laugh. "I don't know where this Blackfire guy is nor where Midas will give him the chemicals next."

"I do."

Helena's eyes widen almost with joy at Red Arrow's answer. "Where? When?"

"Tonight. But if we do this, we need to ensure SCPD can properly bag and tag him. Also, we can't be seen by anyone." Red Arrow extends a hand. "Are you with me?"

Again, Helena hesitates, this time with good reason. "You didn't just follow me to help me, didn't you?"

Red Arrow lowers his hand. "You're right. Honestly, I came here seeking your help. But I consider this a mutual exchange. I help you, you help me." Again, he raises a hand to her. "Deal?"

Helena did not need much contemplating on this. She does not like the coincidence of all her plans and ambitions suddenly coming true, but this is her best lead. Also, even with the voice modulator, she can tell that this man is honest or has acted straightforwardly in their conversation.

Without hesitation, Helena puts down the crossbow and shakes his hand. "Just to warn you, I don't have much in the way of non-lethal or trick arrows."

As if predicting this, Red Arrow reveals a backpack behind him with an assortment of crossbow arrows, one with a rubber blunt tip. There is no doubt that it covers a much more complex material.

"I have you covered."

---

From the rooftop, Emiko, Athena, and Mia in her Blackstar outfit have a good view of the parking lot. They can see Captain Drake, along with Uncle Roy and Rene as Arsenal and Wilddog, near a few vans parked parallel to form a corridor to the side street. Blackstar's father, Oliver, and John Diggle lead another team as their Green Arrow and Spartan personas, hiding behind some canisters by the entrance. With their positioning, they surround the area where the deal will occur.

However, even Blackstar can see the flaws in the plan. "There are too many blind spots. Even if they did surround these guys, there's no guarantee some St. Dismas goons won't find a way out of it."

Athena assures her, "So long as we hold the element of surprise, we'll be fine."

"If we had one team, sure. But two…"

"I'm not saying I disagree with you. But this may be our only opportunity."

"This wasn't even my Dad's plan. It's Captain Drake's. Mixing SCPD into this wasn't a good idea either."

Athena puts a hand on her shoulder. "That's why we're here. When all else fails, we tail whoever the sellers are."

Blackstar nods, but her mind is still preoccupied. It is not the task at hand but something else. She keeps thinking about what her father said last night, about him worrying that she will turn into what he once was. It is difficult to know what exactly he means because, as a child, all Blackstar ever heard of her father's exploits was from her mom. They were about how heroic he was, how he saved Star City constantly, how they met and fell in love, and how he saved Star City from the brink of Ricardo Diaz's reign of destruction. Sure, the city still became crippled, and the Glades sheltered itself from it. However, nobody forgot the Green Arrow, even when he went underground. He was a legend, a symbol of hope.

So what was Blackstar's father before that?

"I know that glazed look." Emiko's sudden abruption almost makes Blackstar jump up from her crouched position. "Whatever you're thinking about, you should leave it for later."

Blackstar fiddles with her fingers. "I'm trying. It's just not going away."

"And that is?"

Blackstar hesitates. Though Emiko is her aunt, she would not know what kind of person her father was. That is not to say her aunt hasn't had her own parental issues. Her father, Blackstar's grandfather, pretty much abandoned her and her mother to live in the slums of Star City to be recruited by the likes of Dante. Yet, it was Dante who gave Blackstar her confidence back. No doubt, for Emiko, Dante gave her a light in the darkness her father left her. Maybe she would understand. So would Athena, who once saved Blackstar's life and proved that she had been reformed. At least, that is what her brother William believes.

Still, Blackstar chooses her words carefully, "Have you ever wanted to know more about your father? Not what he is right now, but the man he was, why he changed into the person he is—"

Emiko raises a hand. "Let me stop you right there. I KNOW who my father was, even without the news and media clouding my judgment."

Blackstar reacts to Emiko's sudden anger. "I didn't mean to say—"

"I'm not like you. I didn't grow up with just my mom. I actually HAD my dad constantly visiting us, bringing gifts, and doing who-knows-what with my mom. We lived in this luxury apartment, and it felt like nothing could go wrong. I knew there was another woman in his life, one he would rather have left for us, but then…"

Emiko looks down towards the area, still empty of anything except the others. Besides a small gust of wind, the silence feels like knives piercing the air, waiting for a moment to strike with an emotional moment.

"I was ten when he left, old enough to remember him just giving me a rushed goodbye and having movers take us away to that awful apartment in the Glades. I would see papers of how great Robert Queen was, all the advances he made in the company while his son BESMIRCHED his family name, sleeping around and acting like a psychotic little brat. Yet, Dad would put him on a pedestal."

Emiko looks back at Blackstar. "You wanted to know what you're father was like? That's as much as I know and likely as honest of an opinion as you will get."

Blackstar shakes her head, baffled by that last bit of information. She does not speak to Emiko any further about the subject, but what she just heard…

My dad…slept around? I thought that it was just that one incident with William's mom. How many other women has he…

She then feels a hand on her shoulder. Athena leans in and whispers, "Do not take what she says to heart. Her own is clouded by decades of trauma and resentment."

"Does that mean she's lying?"

Athena shakes her head. "Unfortunately not. But your father has moved on from that stage of his life. He has become a better man…" She looks at her arm, which William says got caught in the Lazarus pit as Red Lotus made it inert. "Just as I am on the path to becoming a better woman."

"Look alive!"

Upon Emiko's command, Blackstar and Athena look down and see a small black car roll around from the right. Turning on her detective vision, Blackstar can see what seems to be a few men armed with basic assault rifles and pistols.

She turns on her comm and calls her father and Captain Drake. "A car's coming towards the entrance. Looks like some kind of gang."

---

The car stops near the first set of white vans. Dinah peaks out, seeing the gang in question. She can't make out their faces but can see the jackets. They are all black, made of some crude material mainly bought by the lower-income families of the Glades.

Dinah surmises, "Copy that. It looks like the Blackout Gang."

Arsenal raises an eyebrow. "I've never heard of them."

Wilddog explains, "They came sometime after Oliver gave himself up to the Feds. They're BAD dudes, cause a lot of trouble in the Glades…" He looks over at a couple of the police officers with them. "Which you guys tend to forget about."

Dinah scolds him. "Focus, Wilddog." She looks back towards the buyers, a couple armed with AK rifles in case of intruders.

Arsenal asks her, "How many do you think if the sellers come?"

Dinah shrugs, "Who knows."

Arsenal elaborates, "I'm saying that we should come up with a plan of attack. A couple of us should take the flank, take these guys down—"

Dinah turns to face Arsenal with a severe stare. "What's going to happen is we do things BY THE BOOK and arrest these guys."

"Well, what if they resist arrest? We should have some kind of backup plan."

Wilddog agrees, "Roy's right. Maybe he and I should be—"

Dinah insists, "The plan should be for you guys to do what I say! Pollard hasn't said anything about vigilantes since discovering that I was one. I don't want to sour her opinion on the subject more."

Dinah brings her focus back to the Blackout Gang, but she can hear a sigh from both of them. Dinah didn't want to refute any of Arsenal or Wilddog's ideas. There would have been a time when she would have welcomed them, especially when ARGUS established Knightwatch. However, this is SCPD's territory, Pollard's territory. Dinah still has a boss to please and doesn't want to risk her position being given to a puppet, especially one controlled by the Ninth Circle or Order of St. Dismas.

---

Green Arrow peers out from his cover behind the canisters, looking at the gang members. They look like any other gang he has faced: a bunch of thugs trying to intimidate the good people of the city, driven by greed, jealousy, or believing that it is the only path left to them. It is hard to think they could be part of the Order of St. Dismas.

His attention then turns to the surroundings. While pretty thin, there are a couple of places where they can flank around the enemies if they split up.

"Seeing anything of interest, vigilante?"

The officer next to Green Arrow, Sergeant Bingsley, eyes him with a mistrusting look. He should feel annoyed with the sergeant, but he oddly doesn't. His tone and manner of speech feel familiar to him somehow.

Green Arrow explains, "Just getting the lay of the land. The four of us going in at once wouldn't be advisable. If we split off and surround—"

"We don't break protocol! We go in together or not at all."

"Do you not see the blind spots? We need to maintain the element of surprise."

"This ISN'T a debate. While you're with us, you follow OUR rules."

As Oliver was about to state that plan's glaring flaws, he heard another car coming near them. As before, they take cover behind the crates, waiting for it to pass. However, as they do, Green Arrow notices something far off in the distance, in the alleyway near Blackstar's perch.

He recognizes the black mask and red visor, resisting his urge to call out.

What is he doing here? He's not even supposed to be out in the field.

---

Red Arrow peers out from the alleyway, seeing the second car park near the large cannisters that Green Arrow and Spartan hide behind.

"Looks like the buyers have arrived."

Helena, now in the black overcoat and mask of the Huntress, moves just a few feet to see what is going on. "This would be easier to bust if we can ACTUALLY go in there."

"We need Knightwatch and SCPD to bust them. We're here to ensure we can get evidence if things go south. From here, an anonymous tip from you will—"

He notices an error message as he looks at the screen on his gauntlet. The cameras he had planted near the buy are entirely offline.

"What the—"

He calibrates the cameras but with no success. Running diagnostics doesn't bring up anything, either. Whatever this interference is, it has an external source.

Helena seems to notice, for she hastily asks, "Aren't you're cameras supposed to be running?"

"Something's jamming them. I can't tell what it—"

Looking up, he sees his answer. In a white coat and jeans is a woman Red Arrow hasn't seen in a long while, the only Longbow Hunter not present at Queen Tower.

"Silencer."

Huntress asks, "You know her?"

"I've had run-ins with her. Expert hacker."

The Silencer fiddles with her belt, which emits a field that suppresses most sound so long as it is on. He wonders if it is for other purposes, maybe the jammer. Explains why he never sees her with one at all.

Red Arrow concludes, "She's here to ensure the buy isn't recorded or heard."

He can hear Huntress exhale vehemently through her teeth, silently cursing. "Great! Our ONE great plan, and now it's RUINED."

Red Arrow shakes his head. "Not entirely." From the top of his gauntlet, one of his small drones shoots out into his hand. Unlike the cameras, these little things cannot be jammed as long as they are within his range. This one does not have a camera like many others, however. This one has been for retrieving evidence discreetly at the crime scene. "If we can't get video evidence, we'll at least sample their product."

Huntress gives the small drone a curious look. "It can do that?"

Red Arrow sets it down and quickly takes control of it. "It hasn't let me down so far, probably because I pray it doesn't get caught."

---

This was a bad sign. The presence of the Silencer, a Longbow Hunter, meant the odds were stacked against them. Not to mention, her belt would suppress Dinah's ability to scream. However, Dinah knew they had four vigilantes, and Silencer was alone. They could handle her while SCPD dealt with the Blackout gang.

Though, Arsenal didn't seem to be satisfied. "Our visors are having a hard time recording any of this. How do we pin them?"

Dinah assures him, "We just need them to complete the transaction. Our testimonies and their fingerprints will be enough."

The Silencer stands in front of them, posture straight and hands behind her back as if she were of a higher stature than them. "Where's Midas?"

The lead Blackout gang member explains, "He couldn't make it but sends his regards to Deacon Blackfire."

He nods to one of his friends, who rushes over to the black car they came in. He opens the trunk, takes out a black case, and carries it with utmost care. His slow and cautious walk could be mistaken for handling a volatile bomb. He lays the case down and opens it, showing rows upon rows of bullets. They do not seem special except that a couple of lines are carved into the casings.

These must be the poison bullets.

She then contacts Green Arrow, "Product in sight. When I give the word, move in at take the Silencer down. We'll handle the thugs."

"Dinah, it's too dangerous to move in with—"

"Do as you're told!"

Though it leaves a sour taste in her mouth, she has to discipline Oliver. Too much is riding on this alliance, her standing with Pollard included.

The Silencer kneels down, examining the bullets with a sinister smile. "Can't even tell the difference, but it makes all the difference in the world. To think Dante was going to use this against us eventually." She nods to herself. "This all seems in order."

Dinah nods. "That's it. Move in!"

"Dinah!"

Without another thought, Dinah and a few of her SCPD officers move out of cover and aim their guns. "SCPD! FREEZE!"

---

"SCPD! FREEZE!"

Green Arrow watches as Dinah and the others aim their guns or, draw a bow in Arsenal's case. They all go in at once through the tight corridors made by the trucks, no one flanking from the sides. Seeing them coming, the Blackout Gang starts shooting. While their accuracy is shoddy, bullets spraying everywhere is enough to force the team into the nearest cover.

Spartan quickly shouts, "Move! Move!"

Like that, everyone else starts moving in from behind, clumped together. As much as Green Arrow detests such a move, he finds no other choice. At least he and Spartan cripple a couple of the gang members with shots to the leg. This grabs their attention against one side, relieving pressure for the others.

When the Blackout members start shooting at them, Green Arrow drags down one of the rookie officers looking to charge in, placing themselves behind one of the canisters. He looks up and sees Arsenal, along with Wilddog, actually taking the flank. Dinah sticks with her SCPD officers.

The Silencer is the only one not participating, at least for now. She keeps her eyes on the case filled with poison bullets, her hand becoming antsy to grab it as soon as she is clear. Thankfully, Arsenal and Wilddog can catch up before she has that chance.

Green Arrow then retreats back into the safety of his cover, contacting Dinah. "Tell me you ordered Arsenal and Wildddog to flank."

Dinah peers out of cover, silently saying, "Their directive is the supply. I'll stop the suppliers from retreating."

"Oh Crap!"

Rene's sudden reaction catches Green Arrow's attention. From the side they are flanking from, he and Arsenal are thrown out into the open, just where the Silencer's car is. From there, a figure appears, wearing a black robe and wearing a crusader's helm. He is wielding a diamond-shaped kite shield made of a metal similar to the round shield of Bear.

Wilddog quickly gets up, shouting, "Another on your—"

The shield disciple stomps on him, stopping the last word from coming out. The man raises his shield, ready to plunge it into his torso. Luckily, Arsenal gets up and tackles the man, freeing Rene. However, it is already too late. Another robed man, wielding a longsword, plunges his weapon through one of the officer's shoulders, dropping his gun. He grabs it and shoots the other officer in the stomach before he has a chance to react.

Dinah turns around, seeing the man in front of her. She looks at the blade, almost shuddering at it. She does nothing except back away into the cover of the truck next to her. Rene is the one who runs to her aid, leaving Arsenal in a wrestling match with the shield disciple.

Meanwhile, the Blackout gang stops fighting back. They retreat into the car, driving out toward where the SCPD officers now lie motionless. At the same time, the Silencer runs for the poison bullets, not taking the case, but loads one of them into her pistol.

Seeing her there, the SCPD officer pops up and attempts to shoot her. However, as he pulls the trigger, the disciple with the shield slides in and protects her with his armament. Green Arrow looks to the side, seeing Arsenal still alive but groaning in pain. When he turns back, Silencer emerges from her compatriots back and aims.

Green Arrow yells, "Get down!"

His warning arrives too late, for one of the bullets manages to pierce the SCPD officer's shoulder. The man starts screaming in pain, a hole forming on the vest as if it were paper set alight.

Seeing no way of stopping them, Green Arrow yells, "Retreat! Fall back."

He and the others slowly move back from the battle, laying down covering fire. However, he knew that the poison bullets were far too dangerous. If Knightwatch and SCPD couldn't collect it as evidence, he had to destroy it.

As Green Arrow moves along with them, he fires an explosive arrow at the case in the middle of the suppressing fire. The detonation is almost instant.

---

The whole police ambush quickly becomes chaos. Dinah's people moving in first does not help, nor does announcing their presence. Green Arrow and Spartan take the heat off by distracting the gang members and pinning the Silencer, which helps somewhat. It seems like they are about to turn things around. That is until two hooded figures with either a sword or a shield come in.

All the while, Red Arrow controls his drone, ensuring it scuttles towards the now open case. When the robed men arrive, his drone is climbing on the case.

Huntress points the hooded men out. "I saw those guys before. They were at the docks."

"Shadows, a black ops sect of the Order of St. Dismas."

As the drone finally gets to the top, Red Arrow notices Huntress' foot inch out, ready to charge into the fray. He immediately puts out his arm in front of her.

"No."

"The bust is all going to—"

"NO!"

Despite his authoritative tone, it pained Red Arrow to stay hidden like this. He should be combating these robed warriors, stopping them from mauling and mutilating. However, he knows ARGUS will fall entirely into the Ninth Circle's hands if he is spotted here and Knightwatch is finished. Coming here with his mother's cousin is already a gamble with the future's well-being.

Lord, let what I am doing bear SOME fruit.

Red Arrow looks back at the gauntlet display and has the drone jump onto the first poison-loaded ammo clip. He then turns on the scanner, the contents of the bullets being analyzed and coded into the gauntlet's databank.

He then turns to Huntress, who thankfully hasn't moved a muscle. "We got the data, which means this whole thing hasn't been a waste of time."

Huntress unfreezes and points to the scene. "We CAN'T let them get away with the case."

Suddenly, an explosion erupts in the direction she points at. They both jump and see the case with the poison bullets in pieces, the ammo clips are aflame, and any hint of Red Arrow's drone reduces to ash. The only object visible is an empty, charred arrow shaft.

Red Arrow tilts his head at the scene. "Problem solved."

They see the Silencer slam a fist to the ground in an angry retort, yelling, "Into the car!" She moves in unison with the shield shadow, keeping her protected as she moves to the driver's side.

Meanwhile, the shadow with the longsword rolls out of the cover of the white truck and runs for the car and into the back seat.

Dinah and Wilddog, who are thankfully unharmed, run out as the car engine revs up. The police captain yells, "Everybody duck!"

Everyone except Wilddog does as she commands, knowing what will happen next. She takes a deep breath, ready to flip the car onto its side with a single scream. The capture of elite St. Dismas members would be a point for the SCPD and Knightwatch, along with Red Arrow's scan of the bullet. This whole thing wouldn't have been in vain.

Yet, that isn't what happened. Dinah does open her mouth directly at them, but barely anything comes out. Red Arrow can see faint hints of sonic distortions from her mouth, but they quickly disappear. She grabs her throat, where the cut of the Deacon's sword lingers as if the blade is slicing it open again.

Oh no.

With the others ducked down, nothing is stopping the group from driving away. The car zooms towards Dinah, who is still gripping her throat. Thankfully, Rene pulled her out just as the vehicle was mere seconds from running her over.

Green Arrow gets up, running away from the scene, seeing where the perpetrators are going. He also looks up at the top of the building, seemingly confused.

He taps his earpiece. "Blackstar, Emiko, Athena. You were supposed to prevent any escape. What happened? Blackstar, do you copy? Mia, check in!"

Blackstar? Emiko? And Athena?

Red Arrow looks up at the building, realizing that if the Silencer was smart enough to bring shadows, she would also be smart enough to account for any possible angles of attack. He didn't know, however, that his sister, aunt, and protector would be on the lookout, possibly being attacked by people stronger than them.

Lord, please let them be okay.

---

Among the chaos down there, Blackstar sees all the criminals and the Silencer bunch up in the middle, a perfect opportunity. It seems that Emiko isn't focused on that, her eyes shifting rapidly from side to side.

Her tone reflects her concern. "It's all gone to hell. This was NOT supposed to happen. Why is this happening?"

"Hey!" Blackstar takes out a flash arrow and draws it on her string. "We can still turn this around. Take out a flash arrow and aim for the middle."

Athena nods, drawing a flash arrow of her own. "Sound strategy."

Emiko's eyes stop darting, focusing on the bunched-up criminals. She nods as well, doing as Blackstar suggests. The three archers aim high in the sky, where their shots will arc toward the target area.

Before they can release, however, Blackstar feels something poke her hard on the head. "Well, well. A former Thanatos Assassin, Dante's third favorite pet, and one of the newer vigilante scum. They may know where it has all gone." It is hard to discern who is talking because of the voice modulator. Yet, Blackstar did not need to guess who sent the man and whoever else he brought. "Drop your bows and step away from the ledge. NOW."

For once, Blackstar is excited. Yes, the bad guys were smart enough to send a couple of scouts to pick off the lookouts. However, she assumes the assailants have sniper rifles to cover the area for their friends, meaning that coming this close to them was a mistake, as is trying to take them hostage. She knows how to get out of this bind.

First, like Emiko and Athena, she takes the arrow away from her bow, slowly putting it in her quiver. However, where Emiko and Athena quickly drop their bows, Blackstar does nothing.

The man behind her repeats, "Drop the bow." Blackstar waits for it, anticipates it, the man becoming frustrated enough to jab the muzzle already on the back of her neck. "Now!"

Feeling the muzzle retract, she grins and tilts her head at the last second. As expected, the gun's front end overextends, yet it looks shorter than the usual sniper barrel. She did not have time to analyze why, grabbing the weapon and turning around to deliver a blow to the guy's…

Helm? Is that a knight's helm?

Blackstar can now see the guy's full image: a black cloak made out of wool, almost like the robes a monk on a tv show would wear. Covering his face is a helm, though the metal looked too sleek and the visor made of protective glass. It's almost how William described seeing the Deacon and his new appearance.

The appearance issue quickly leaves her mind as the knight-looking guy steps back, dizzy from the bow strike. Blackstar quickly pulls on the gun and traps it in her arm. She then prepares to give this guy a beatdown. However, she freezes when she hears a burst of gunfire next to her. She sees her Aunt Emiko and Athena wrestling with the other St. Dismas grunt over his…

Auto rifle? That guy has an AUTO RIFLE?

She looks down at the rifle in her arm, seeing the same AK-47 standard rifle in this guy's hands as the other one.

I-I don't get it. Why would they cover the gang members with auto rifles? It won't provide any coverage this far…

Blackstar quickly looks at the scene below, seeing two more hooded grunts with a sword or shield decimating SCPD or occupying the others.

Wait. I don't…

Her momentary pause, however long it was, makes her ignore the St. Dismas grunt before her. He recovers from his dizzy spell and tries to peel the gun from her arm. Returning to the reality before her, she pushes the grunt's peeling hand away and elbows him in the face. Unfortunately, she forgets about the helm, her elbow now too sore for her arm to move. Instead of going for her trapping arm again, the grunt's free hand goes for her face, trying to push her away.

Both wrestle for the gun, moving around and against each other. Despite Blackstar's weakening grip, Blackstar keeps hold of the AK as much as possible, hoping her sore elbow will heal quickly enough to get the grunt's hand off her face. Suddenly, they stop moving, the rifle slowly rising up. With one eye not covered, Blackstar sees their struggle pointing towards Emiko and Athena, taking the man down with simultaneous bow strikes to chinks in the armor that force him onto his knees. The rifle is not pointed directly at one of them yet, but it will be in mere seconds if Blackstar does nothing.

With no time left for a rational plan, Blackstar leaps onto the arm and drags it into a not-so-secure armbar. The rifle is right next to her face but is at least not pointed at her aunt or Athena. The grunt peels one of the legs off and stacks it on his shoulder as he gets up to his knees. As she tries to break the hold, the grunt aims his gun at her head, his finger already on the trigger. It's too late for Blackstar to get an arrow out. There is no split-second move she can make besides dodge, but a full auto weapon like that can catch up to her in no time. She's doomed.

At least, that was her fear until an arrow pierced the grunt's hand, forcing him to let go of it. Emiko rushes in, leaping onto him and rolling them over. She ends up on him and finishes him with a bow strike. Blackstar looks back at the other scene, Seeing Athena use a net arrow on the guy they beat down as soon as she saw Emiko swoop in.

With the opposition taken down, Blackstar slips her face mask off, feeling as if it stifles her breathing in a way it hasn't before. She can't believe what just happened. She was close to death again, just like Stanley. This one doesn't affect her as before, but she was supposed to be a fighter. She was supposed to have figured out how not to get herself killed, to win a battle before it even began. Yet, she became cocky and foolish. This wasn't what she was back at the ring under that Russian Gulag. There, she was the "Wolf" the prisoners chanted her to be.

"You okay?"

Blackstar almost didn't hear Emiko, nodding hesitantly. "Why…why were they…they had assault rifles instead of—"

"This is how Blackfire operates. He prefers more up-close solutions, only using snipers if necessary. He must have sent these guys in to ensure we wouldn't provide support. But why didn't they kill us?"

Athena nods as she secures the net. "From what the man said, it seems that they wanted us alive, to have some intelligence they believed we would provide. What it may be, I do not know."

The question starts to rattle Blackstar's brain, but it is interrupted by a beeping in her ear.

"Blackstar, Emiko, Athena. You were supposed to prevent any escape. What happened? Blackstar, do you copy? Mia, check in!"

Hearing her father's voice, she quickly responds, "Uh, we got ambushed. We took them down, though. We're fine."

"Oh, thank…"

With Oliver's pause, Blackstar takes one last look down. The scene is a wreck, with three police officers down and the case filled with poison bullets blown to smithereens. All of the Blackout gang, as well as the Silencer and her posse, escaped. This almost feels like a shot in the foot, as if everything they've done up to this point was for nothing.

Almost, though. Maybe the capture of these two St. Dismas thugs can make up for the loss. At least, that is what she hopes.

---

"Oh, thank…"

Those two words and Oliver's relieved breath are enough to make an inference. Blackstar, Emiko, and Athena are alive. Red Arrow controls whatever reprieve he feels, giving a nod to Huntress. "Time to go."

His exhale when saying this nearly betrays him, but Huntress nods back, and they break for it.

---

It took a lot of maneuvering around the city, and many jumps over rooftops, but both Red Arrow and Huntress made it back to the church, where her limo was waiting to take her back. They sneak through the roof and find the bathroom, where she changes into her civilian outfit.

She tells Red Arrow through the door, "That was probably the most disastrous stakeout I've ever witnessed."

"We at least didn't walk away empty-handed, neither did they."

"You mean whoever was on the rooftop? You think they can get anything out of those St. Dismas guys?"

"Most likely, no. But it buys us time to examine the evidence."

Helena steps out, back in her luxurious but casual black outfit. Her huntress suit is stuffed in her giant purse, which she begins to close.

"Is whatever you did with that little robot going to get us far?"

Red Arrow nods. "It scanned the contents of the bullet. An overnight analysis should tell us what the chemical is and how it connects with Midas and his company."

"As well as who those guys are?"

Red Arrow remains silent for a moment. He wants to tell her everything about being a relative to the Claytons and their connection with the Ninth Circle and the Order to keep her in the know and ensure her safety. That is a coin flip, though. If anything, she would most likely go on a crusade to find them. He knows of her campaign against her father, the man who killed her fiancé, and how she has been repenting for her crimes since.

He reaches into his belt and gives her a comm link. "I'll call you when I have any information on the bullet. Until then, lay low."

He tries to walk away, but Helena calls out, "Hold it!"

Red Arrow clenches his fist. "Oh crud."

"Do you personally know who these guys are?"

He turns back to her, seeing the frustration written on her face. Still, he simply explains, "They're a dangerous group. That's all you need to know."

He starts to walk again, but Helena persists, "That's not enough! Were you ever with them?"

"Thankfully, no."

"And yet you know one of their unit, the shadows."

Again, Red Arrow faces her. "What will knowing their identity serve you? Are you going to broaden your target list?"

"If they're working with Midas, then yes."

"It's NOT worth it. They're not people you just fight."

Helena starts stomping towards him. "You're fighting them, so are Green Arrow, Spartan—"

"Knightwatch fights the Order together! I'm ASSISTING them from the shadows. These aren't people that you just face HEAD-ON."

Helena scoffs. "Obviously. So why am I being left in the dark?"

"Why are you so bent on broadening your list? For all we know, they had no involvement in the murder of Bianca's parents."

"They have the bullets made by Midas! That makes them EQUALLY guilty."

Red Arrow can hear Helena's screams reverberate off of the church walls. Even her silent and heavy panting does not escape its notice. Still, even with the ringing around his ears, echoes that make him pity her, Red Arrow stays entirely still.

"I told you before that very few step off the path of vengeance. You've walked away before. I don't want to see you break. Not when you've come THIS far." Red Arrow takes a grapple arrow and shoots it into the air. Before he soars upward, he tells her, "Go home. Rest. We WILL bring Midas to justice, however long it takes."

The rope recoils and sends him up into the rafters. He exits through the window but does not take off just yet. He sees Helena walk to her limo with furious steps, opening and closing the door hard. He can imagine her groaning in anger as the limo takes off, wondering why she's not in the loop, emotion and doubt overcoming her. He hopes these things will pass overnight, but it is a faint hope.

Still, he can't help but wonder, is this how my mother acted when she served Dante and Blackfire? A rage inside her and a need to see justice done?

---

Within the police station, two sides have been formed. One was with Dinah and the sergeant, Bingsley, along with the few SCPD officers who survived the ambush from the Order of St. Dismas. The other was Knightwatch, with most of them maskless except for Blackstar. Oliver and Bingsley were upfront, representing each other's sides.

Bingsley was the first to speak. "Are our protocols a joke to you?"

Oliver remained stoic, explaining, "The plan went poorly. There were several factors—"

"Don't talk your way out of this! What we just went through was nothing short of a disaster. If you had all just played your parts—"

Rene interfered, "We don't need a lecture on how to do our jobs!"

Bingsley looked at him with a contemptible stare. "You were losing to just ONE of those guys, and he had a SHIELD. If you had just followed protocol—"

"You're protocols are crap!"

Blackstar's yell caught everyone's attention, even Knightwatch's. She walked up next to Oliver, her arms crossed.

"Sending two teams in there was a mistake on YOUR part. There were several blindspots, little cover…" Her attention turned to Dinah. "And Captain Drake calling herself out was the BIGGEST blunder of them all."

Bingsley stared her down. "What WE do is what is expected of every officer, INCLUDING Captain Drake. Our mission is to detain and defuse."

"And Knightwatch would have diffused the situation better if you IDIOTS weren't in the—"

"Blackstar!"

Surprisingly, John, not her father, called her out.

"That's enough."

It looked like Blackstar was about to question John, but Oliver gripped her shoulder. "Do as he says."

She did not protest against her father. She took a few steps back but muttered something inaudible.

John stepped in, assuring, "We have suffered casualties. But we have two suspects in custody, and your analytics team is identifying the poison that injured one of your men. We still have potential leads." He then turned to Captain Drake. "We'll let you know when we've interrogated the suspects."

Dinah nodded with a smile. It was noticeably a bit crooked and more nervous looking than when she usually grins, which isn't often. She then told her crew, "You all had a rough night. Go home, patch yourselves up, and…grieve for our lost officers. It's only going to get more hectic tomorrow."

With that, the others dispersed, the SCPD group heading towards the locker rooms and Knightwatch to the exit. As they neared it, however, Oliver and John stopped Blackstar. John told the others, "Get back home. We'll see you at the Bunker in the morning."

Rene, Athena, and Emiko nodded and headed out. Emiko gave Blackstar one quick glance that showed worry, whether it be for her well-being or her actions on the rooftop.

When they disappeared, John asked, "Are you doing okay?"

Blackstar nodded. "Fine."

Oliver tried to empathize: "The situation you were in wasn't typical."

"I thought that they were holding sniper rifles. I didn't realize—"

John held up a hand. "That's part of the job. Nothing is going to go the way you expect. You learn from it and move on."

Blackstar seemed a bit confused. "You're…not going to reprimand me for speaking out."

John places his hands on his hips. "I never said you were off the hook for it."

Blackstar sighs. "I still stand by what I said. You guys must have noticed."

Oliver insisted, "We agree with you. We do! But insulting people for their mistakes is NEVER right, even if they do the same. We don't answer anger with anger."

"Isn't what we do answering anger with anger?"

"We are not—"

"We're literally fighting bad guys. What do we call that?"

"Mia!" Luckily, no one was there to hear Blackstar's real name being silently shouted by her father. "What we do is NOT venting anger. It's dealing justice. There is a clear difference. Understand?"

There was a moment of silence, Blackstar saying absolutely nothing. She looked between the two of them, her father and her superior. She gave a slight nod but nothing more.

William sighs. That could have gone better.

Seeing how the whole thing went down last night through his camera footage, William now knows the damage is more substantial than before. All efforts to keep the peace between Knightwatch and SCPD are crumbling. On top of that, there is no word from Mayor Pollard about the issue of the Anti-Vigilante Act. In fact, she has made very few appearances since her debate with Oliver was attacked by Chimera when Dinah was revealed to be the Black Canary. She mearly discusses how crime has been going down without mentioning Knightwatch's interference.

As William takes a spoonful of his cereal, what Dante said yesterday before the stakeout, the conversation he listened to, goes through his mind. "What good is bringing order if we put ourselves above every trivial matter?"

The bites he takes and the constant crunches fade when his thoughts speak aloud. Why would Dante allow this? He had to know that our way of bringing justice differed from the SCPD's. Sure, we could meet somewhere in the middle, but that's not what happened. Why DID he let this happen?

Suddenly, a loud knock grabs William's attention. He becomes alert, staring at the front door. He clicks out of the window and closes the laptop.

"It's me Connor. We need to talk."

Even with his father calling William by his alias, he slowly gets up and cautiously walks to the door. He opens it slightly, peering through the cracks. It is indeed Oliver, alone in the hallway. With a subtle sigh, he opens the door completely.

Oliver asks, "Are we completely alone?"

William nods. "I check for bugs every day. We're clean."

He leads Oliver before closing the door and speed-walking into the kitchen. "You want some coffee? I still have a fresh pot."

"I know you were at the stakeout last night."

Oliver's statement stops William almost immediately. He is not shocked by this but annoyed that his presence did not go totally unnoticed. Moreover, Oliver may know about Helena's involvement and would lecture William about getting other people involved.

Don't get worked up. Just explain and get it over with.

Reluctantly, William turns to face his father. "Listen, Dad—"

"Were you able to do anything during the fighting?"

Now that question is what surprises William. Oliver doesn't start with any lecture, no argument about disobeying orders to not be out in the field lest William invokes Dante's wrath. Something isn't right.

"You're…you're not mad?"

Oliver places his hands on his hips. "I am. I'm more concerned about what you found while we fought the St. Dismas disciples."

William hesitates to reveal the evidence he collected. Oliver seems different somehow. His tone and agitated fingers betray the impatience he struggles to hide. This was not how he behaved in the police precinct, doing his best to remain diplomatic.

William deduces, "You're desperate. Why?"

"It's…" Oliver, like William, is cautious in giving an answer. "It's something I'll tell you later, but I need to know—"

"Is this about what happened last night? About Mia, the SCPD, or—"

"All of it!" Oliver no longer tries to hide whatever irritation has been building up inside his spirit. "Mia's right. The police's protocols ARE crap. Two of their officers are DEAD, and one is about to become an AMPUTEE because we weren't given free rein to run the operation the way we should have! Now we have nothing to implicate Midas on."

"We've been in tight spots before Dad. What makes this any different from—"

"Because it feels like we have a timer above us counting down from now to Mia's future, and I'd rather it not be filled with poison-laced bullets!"

William raises an eyebrow. "Mia's future? Mia's here in the past and nothing has happened to change—" Just then, a thought rushes through his head. He remembers that Oliver left him a message, saying he had some news that would cheer William up from all the brutality that ensued a couple of nights before. "But something did happen, didn't it? Something relating to Mia? Felicity's pregnant, isn't she?"

Oliver closes his eyes, his nostrils flaring. "This…this wasn't how we wanted you to know."

William grabs the back of the chair and takes a slightly startled breath. He is unsure whether to feel happiness for his family or shock at the news. He always knew that this moment would come, that his half-sister would one day be conceived, but not this soon. In a matter of months, his younger self will share the joy of having a new sibling IF the Ninth Circle and the Order of St. Dismas do not interfere in their lives.

That is when it dawned on William why Oliver is here. "You want to upend the Ninth Circle. You're trying to take down their operations alone, without ARGUS or SCPD."

"Well, what do you call sneaking onto the scene of a stakeout and taking evidence during a shootout?"

"I was there to make sure the stakeout was a success. The SCPD needed evidence to take down Midas."

"And look how that turned out! Dinah screwed up adhering to police protocol, and MIA almost…"

Oliver almost chokes on his last word. Knowing what he is going through, William walks away from the chair. "Dad, do you remember when you first took me in, tried giving up being the Green Arrow just to be a good father to me? When you kept your return to vigilantism a secret from me?" Oliver, without looking at him, gives a nod. "You know what you showed me then? A parent who fears for his child's safety and well-being is a slave to their every whim."

Oliver shakes his head. "What I'm saying about the SCPD isn't wrong."

"And it's just a reflection of what Mia tried to argue. You shouldn't be addressing her every issue. You should be preparing her for the world she'll be facing."

Oliver finally looks his son right in the eyes. "What does that even mean?"

"It means getting your head straight and realizing the big picture. Dante paired us up with the SCPD under the guise of bringing order. He must know full well our styles don't clash entirely well. So why let it happen?"

There is a moment of silence between the two. Oliver's eyes close, his breathing slow and calm, reflecting on what William has proposed. William silently contemplates the question himself. Why would Dante let all of this happen if there was a good chance of failure?

Oliver is the first to come to the answer. "He WANTED us to fail. He knew Dinah was stubborn and wouldn't allow him to do whatever he wanted, not while she was a police captain. That means if we do things our way and the SCPD is seen floundering one of their biggest cases, that incentivizes Dante to trample over the Police Department's authority or even replace the current members."

William points at him with a smile. "Exactly! If we're to take down Midas, the SCPD MUST look as competent as us."

Suddenly, a beeping noise comes through on William's laptop. He quickly rushes to his seat and opens the top, seeing the "Scan Complete," screen.

Oliver walks next to him, placing a hand on the top rim of the chair. "What is it?"

"The scan of the bullet is done. This should pinpoint what contents are in this toxin."

When looking at the chemical compounds, the results are not what William expected.

"Oh crud."

"What?"

"It's not a toxin. It's a mustard. Chlormethine, to be exact."

"You've heard of it before?"

"Just passing mentions in books. Its most significant use was in Mustard Gas during World War One. However, if administered correctly, it could also cure prostate and skin cancers."

Oliver leans forward, looking at the screen with utter bewilderment. "This is still used?"

"Not so much these days. But maybe…"

William clicks into his browser, activating his custom VPN before looking up "Star City pharmaceutical companies that still use chlormethine."

Immediately, it zooms around the perimeter of Star City, dots arranged from A-D showing various locations. "It looks like only four pharmaceuticals in the city use the mustard, one of them being Midas Medical."

Oliver grins. "So, we got him."

William shakes his head. "Not quite. He'll most likely excuse using it as advancing medical practices." Another thought flies into William's head as if on cue, or maybe God's interference. It is something Helena said about the death of Bianca's parents never sat quite right with him.

Why did they both die at his company if they were onto something? Were they called in? That couldn't have been since they would have seen through the deception and run off immediately with their daughter. The events don't seem logical.

William utters, "But I might know someone who can help."

"Who?"

Coming out of his thoughts, William subtly shakes his head. "I can't say." He stands up and closes the laptop. "I need to make a few visits."

Before he can take a step further, Oliver blocks him. "Hold on. You're not supposed to be out there."

"No, I'm not allowed back on the field. Dante didn't say I couldn't make a few friendly visits."

"Let me visit them, whoever they are."

"No. Dante will have his eye on you more than me. I have to be the one to do this."

Oliver puts his hands on his hips again, looking down at the floor. He obviously doubts the whole thing but must know that William is right. If what Lyla said about Dante was right, that he has some bizarre hope of converting William to the Ninth Circle, he won't expect William to work against him. It's been confirmed so far. Otherwise, Dante would be in this room instead of Oliver.

Finally, Oliver nods. "Alright. But if there's anything you need me to do, anything at all—"

William raises a hand. "Just be ready. If Midas catches wind of a warrant, he'll do what he can to bury the evidence."

---

After lunch, Bianca slips back into her room. She flips the switch next to the door, illuminating the only light source in the room besides the windows she has covered up and sits on the plain covers of her simple bed, which she finds uncomfortable. Bianca misses the luxurious bed from her old home, checkered with pink and red blankets that her parents got her for her birthday. She can't even get that back for some reason, even though no investigation has been made into her parents' deaths.

She takes the bible from the side table that belonged to her father and then recites the same passage that she has been reading nearly every day: "The boastful may not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies, the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men."

Bianca can almost feel her parents' presence when she reads this every day and every hour she dedicated herself to it. She then goes into her following prayer, which she hopes makes this psalm come true, "God, please deliver justice on James Midas, being the cruel man he is. Let him suffer for all he's done and your retribution be swift, so I can rest easy knowing that he got what he deserved."

"Prayers like those should not be made lightly."

Bianca jumps as she hears a voice from the corner of the room, close to the doorway. From that corner, a dark-hooded figure emerges. His face is covered by the hood's shadow, but she sees the red emblem on his chest. This is one of the vigilantes her dad talked so much about, those who work outside the law, running around "as if they own the damn place." He did not know Bianca was around to hear him say those things, but it did not stop her from admiring heroes such as the Flash or that new Shazam hero that came onto the scene just a few weeks ago. They're actually endorsed by their law enforcement, unlike here.

As the vigilante approaches, Bianca shifts backward towards the other side of the bed. "W—what do you want?"

Reaching the bed, he kneels down and raises his head. She can't make out all of the details because of the large black eye mask, but she can see a recently trimmed beard. The eyes from the mask are dark blue, unlike those pure red eyes that they show on the news.

"I'm here to help you, just as Helena Bertinelli has been these past few weeks."

The mention of Ms. Bertinelli puts her at ease somewhat.

"I'm trying to take Midas down, but I've reached a dead end that I'm hoping you can clear up. Can you answer some questions for me?"

Bianca is having a hard time processing what she is hearing. Is this an answer to her prayers? Has God sent this man to seek justice for her parents? But what he said about not making such prayers lightly. What did that mean? God delivers justice all the time, doesn't he?

Regardless of her questions, she nods.

The vigilante then asks, "Your parents were at Midas' company the day they…disappeared." Bianca can tell the vigilante was wary of what he said to her. "Did they tell you why they went?"

Bianca shook her head. "They didn't even tell me why they had to go in on that day together and left me with a babysitter."

"They don't go in together?"

"They work in shifts. Moma was on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Dad was on the other ones. They had weekends off. If they left me with somebody, it was to have one of those date nights to themselves."

"Did they display any unusual behavior? Something they usually didn't do at home that you noticed?"

Bianca thinks about this for a moment, which is difficult because thinking about her parents just brings her back to when the police officer came to her with the news. Repressing that thought, Something did come to mind. "They were whispering a lot. They would talk aloud, even when they thought I wasn't there. I don't know why, but it seemed like they thought—"

"Someone was watching them?"

Bianca nods. "Yeah."

"Were they whispering the night they left?"

Bianca shakes her head. "They said…" She finds it hard to speak the words. The image becomes vivid in her mind.

The vigilante assures her, "Take your time."

Bianca takes a few deep breaths. She explains with as much courage as she can muster, "They hugged me really tight. They hugged me like they never did before. They told me they were going back to the office but never said when they were coming home." Her voice quivers, but she does her best to swallow it down. "The next morning, police came by to tell me what had happened. Then I just got…"

The vigilante's stare is firm yet also very concerned, as Bianca's dad usually did when he listened to her with empathy. He allows her to shed some tears, even giving her a couple of tissues from the box on the side table. He then asks, "Their positions at Midas' company. What were they?"

After taking a few more breaths, she answers, "My dad was one of the people who would make the medicines. He sent me photos of himself in a hazmat suit. My moma worked in shifting papers with money labeled on it."

"You mean financial reports?"

"Uh-huh."

The man looks down. His jaw opens a bit, his eyes more so. He gives Bianca a joyful smile. "Bianca, what you have told me was INSIGHTFUL and INVALUABLE. Thank you!"

He takes off in the direction of the window. However, Bianca stops him with, "You supposed to be a vigilante, bringing justice. Why shouldn't I pray for it if God tells you to do the same?"

He stops as he's about to pull away the curtains. He turns around and tells her, "Don't pray that your parents be avenged, Bianca. Pray that Midas is stopped before more people end up like them…and like you."

Without another word, the vigilante opens the curtains wide, opens the windows, and sneaks out into the daylight. Bianca might have imagined it, but it looked like he pressed against his chest and his gloved hand turned into a normal one as he closed the window.

Still, Bianca contemplates what he says. Have others suffered what her parents did? Is she not the only person Midas made an orphan? She has been thinking of her situation for so long. Is this what her mom meant in her example of hoarding toys for herself instead of sharing them when others came? Was she being selfish?

---

Over breakfast, Helena plays the crime scene in her mind again and again. Templar-looking goons nearly obliterated an entire police squadron and almost got away with chemical-laced bullets able to disintegrate human skin and organs. She has been in some tight spots before, especially when helping Oliver rescue Felicity from the clutches of the New Renegades. But this was a new level for her.

She then picked up the invitation sent to her yesterday from Midas, asking to come to his fundraiser tonight to help those who are poor and in dire medical need. He didn't know that Helena figured out that Bianca's parents dying in an accident was a total farce. All Midas knew was that Bianca's mother took English lessons from her through the classes she established after serving her sentence. All Midas knew was that she was a wealthy aristocrat on a puritan streak that could give him some attention. Though, Helena did not immediately throw it out, for she knows this could be her ticket to getting close to Midas. The question is what she would do if she did so.

Just then, her maid came into the room, holding the house phone in one hand and a basket filled with folded clothing in the other. "Ma'am, someone's on the line. Says he wanted to talk about last night. Do you know what it means?"

Last night? Red Arrow!

"I do."

The maid hands Helena the phone before walking off with the basket. Helena does a double take, making sure no one is coming back in. She then puts the phone to her ear. "Did you get something?"

"And more." The familiar monotone voice presents itself, ensuring that this wasn't some scam by Midas. "Do you have a way into Midas' company?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I think I know why Bianca's parents were in the company building when they died."

"How would you—"

"Later! I need to get inside Midas Medical and search their offices. Whatever Midas had in there was far too valuable and incriminating to get out."

Helena nods to herself, considering the events. How did I not make that connection earlier?

She then realizes, "Well, even so, you can't just bust him for whatever you find. You need Knightwatch and the SCPD to take Midas down."

"Don't worry. I've laid the plans down. I just need to make a couple of visits."

---

"And then, we fought a Cthulu monster spawned by a Hollywood writer jotting it down in a notebook. It took Mick writing down a female alien warrior to take it down."

Laurel couldn't help but laugh at that story as well. It seemed like Sara would have some new time travel story every week as if she is hundreds of years older than everyone else. She tries to suppress it as they step out of the elevator and into the halls leading to the District Attorney's office. As they head down, Laurel admits, "Okay, that's probably the most ridiculous story I've heard."

Sara raises her eyes to the ceiling. "Yeah, it feels like the more we do this stuff, the more ridiculous it gets. I've just gotten used to it at this point."

In the hallway leading into her office, Laurel confesses, "Well, I'd trade my job here for those adventures ANY day."

Sara laughs. "Trust me, you would regret saying that."

"Sounds like you two are getting along well."

A familiar voice near them as they enter the office almost puts them into an alert state. Though, seeing the grinning William Queen there puts them somewhat at ease.

Laurel can't help but ask, "Why are you there at inopportune times?"

He just shrugs his shoulders. "In truth, I'm not supposed to be here at all. I've been suspended from assignments."

Sara raises an eyebrow. "By Lyla?"

William shakes his head, his smile diminishing. "Dante."

This statement puts even Laurel in shock. "Why would you—"

"He's taken over ARGUS, but I think I can depose him. For that, I need your help." His eyes turn to Sara. "Both of you."

Sara nods with conviction. "Whatever you need, we'll do it."

Laurel adds, "As long as it's in legal jurisdiction."

"It may be. I need a warrant of arrest for a man named James Midas."

"Do you have evidence?"

"I hope to have some by tonight. Once I send it to Dinah, she'll need the paperwork ready to go before he can move."

"Well, I can't just do so on a whim. I'll need to talk to a judge and provide proof that—"

"Already covered." He unclutches his hand and reveals a piece of paper. "This judge will take your case without question. Plus, she's sympathetic to vigilante causes."

Laurel takes the piece of paper but looks at William warily. "Should I be worried that you've thought this through in advance?"

"Like my mentor says, 'have a contingency for every situation.'" He then looks at Sara again. "This next part is for your ears only. If you'll take a walk with me."

Sara nods. "Of course." She turns to Laurel. "See you next week?"

"Yeah."

As much as Laurel hates seeing Sara leave every time, she holds the resentment in until the two are out of view. Even though Sara is not the sister of her earth, Laurel can still see some similarities: kind, carefree, and more on the rebellious side. Laurel used to be the stuck-up one, even more so when her father died. It was a personality she left behind when she became the Black Siren, but what she is slowly drifting back to when becoming the District Attorney.

Laurel unfolds the piece of paper, seeing the name on it. She looks back up to the doorway with a wary look.

Not even Oliver is this thorough. Who WAS William's mentor?

---

Filling out this latest report proves to be a challenge for John. He had to write in explicit detail what happened during the attempt to stake out Midas and St. Dismas. All he can think of is one word: "disaster." It isn't as if operations haven't gone wrong before, but this one is hurting relations with the SCPD. ARGUS needs them and Knightwatch to be allies above all else to ensure that their brand of vigilantism is seen as beneficial to Star City.

He can't help but think that Mia was right. The plan should have been considered more, and the SCPD's protocols scrutinized. If this is going to happen every single—

"Mr. Diggle?"

Mia stands before John's desk as if thinking of her has summoned her. His head quickly rises to meet her ARGUS trainee uniform and pass, Oliver nor Felicity accompanying her.

"Oh, hey. I thought you would have been back home."

"I stepped out, used a breach beacon. And before you ask, yes, Mom knows."

John observes Mia's tone, rushing through the formalities and possible questions. She's acting as if she only has a limited amount of time before something drastic happens.

John does not show his concern, instead asking, "Well, if this is about what happened last night, let me assure you—"

"This isn't about last night." Mia's eyes glance at the floor for a second. "I just…I had a question I thought you could answer for me."

John's eyebrow raises. "Okay. What is it?"

Mia takes a deep breath, maybe gathering the willpower to get the question across. "What was my dad like?"

Of all the questions he thought Mia would have asked, that was not one of them. "Isn't this something you should ask him? Maybe your mom?"

"She did. Uh, future Mom. But she always talked about his good deeds, being the Arrow and the Green Arrow. She never went as far back as the Hood or what Dad did before that. She just said that he survived a crucible and came out a different man."

John nods, understanding her question. "You want somebody who won't hide the finer details."

Mia shrugs her shoulders. "That's what I was hoping."

John contemplates this for a little bit. He did not want to tell her, a child of Oliver's, that he killed people to seek justice, to right his father's wrongs, of which there were still plenty. John knows that this conversation could affect her outlook of her father, not to mention his friendship with him. He also knows that she deserves to know her father, even if her parents should be the ones to tell her the whole story; she may not leave until she gets something. He had to choose his words carefully.

John nods, explaining to Mia, "Well, I'll just tell you this: when I met your father, he was stubborn, hotheaded, always seeing one way to get a job done. He wanted to tackle things alone, just like you." John can't help but grin at the feigned disinterest Mia gives for being called out on her tendencies. "But he was also a man on a mission and remains that way. He made it his lifelong goal to protect the city he was born in and became a better man doing so."

Mia slowly nods. "That was something Mom told me, that Dad wouldn't stop fighting. He would risk everything, including himself, to ensure Star City was safe. He NEVER compromised."

"Your mom knew him better than most."

There is a brief pause before Mia asks, "Would you say that Dad was a fighter?"

John shrugs. "I would say so, and he still is. He never gave up on your mom or brother. He still won't."

Mia is silent. John can't read what she may be thinking. Hopefully, his explanation is enough. He certainly feels that it is. Though, he doesn't know how he will phrase any questions that may lead to his billionaire playboy past. That is definitely not worth mentioning.

After a while, Mia says, "Thanks Mr. Diggle."

She walks out without another word, speedwalking past everyone. What exactly is she going to do next?

John gets up, intending to stop her and ask. However, someone else is already on her tail, blending in with the other agents. Athena looks back at John and gives him a nod, telling him that she is already suspicious of Mia's behavior and is handling it.

Though why she is even doing this at all, John does not entirely know.

Just then, his office phone rings. There is no caller ID, just a number he doesn't recognize. He picks it up. "Agent Diggle's Office."

"It's Bell. Dante wants to talk."

John almost lets out a growl when he says, "On my way."

He nearly slams the phone. He can't get over that Bell was Dante's mole the whole time. He was one of the original members who created ARGUS alongside Amanda Waller before she had total control. He now wonders if she knew Bell was with the Ninth Circle this whole time and if Waller was a member long ago. They indeed alluded to Waller being harder to control.

At this point, he didn't know who he would prefer: The founder who took ARGUS' power beyond its limits or the people pulling strings in the shadows. Both sides belong on the same coin: neither should be in charge.

---

"I'm just making sure that your symptoms aren't making you miserable."

"Oliver, relax. I knew carrying this baby would have drawbacks, but I am willing to bear them. Besides, it means I have an excuse to eat more mint chip—"

"Oh, no. Even I can tell when your cravings are cravings."

"Well, why not just once per day—"

As Oliver and Felicity continue to speak on their plans to manage her pregnancy, Director Bell, Dante, and John enter the room. They quickly silence themselves and stand as if ready to present themselves to army generals.

Dante grins. "You've arrived. Good. Did you see William?"

Oliver nods. "He's still out of sorts but fine."

"I expected as such. The boy is dedicated to old teachings and interpretations, a monk among the enlightened saints."

Oliver subtly snarls. You're nothing close to a saint.

Felicity's eyes dart around the room. "Where's Lyla?"

Bell responds, "Director Michaels is dealing with a business of her own. What it is, we don't know. But what is about to happen does not need her input."

John stares at Bell as if about to accuse him of another betrayal. "What could possibly surpass—"

"The two prisoners you caught last night are dead."

John's authoritative tone dies, replaced by the same shocked expressions Oliver and Felicity instinctively make. Felicity asks for them, "What do you mean they're DEAD?"

Dante answers, "Slade Wilson's son, Grant, found them lying within their cells. According to him, they had cyanide pills hidden within their robes. Blackfire had trained them to resist interrogation, not take their own lives. He's desperate to keep Midas' product under wraps."

Bell adds, "Which means we cannot wait anymore. We must find evidence of Midas' wrongdoings and bring him to justice NOW."

Oliver walks towards them, reminding them, "We're supposed to do this in collaboration with the SCPD. You're the one who said we shouldn't be above the law."

Dante nods but grins slyly. "You're right. I did. But I meant to say that we shouldn't be above the laws of God. The problem with secularist police like them is their bureaucracy and paper pushing. By the time we have an answer, Midas will have given Blackfire dozens of cases filled with poisoned bullets."

Oliver insists, "We can't just break in. Midas will have his facility under guard."

"You're quite right. That's why you're going to be the distraction." Dante looks over to Felicity. "You and your wife both."

John asks, "Why them?"

Dante looks at him and raises an eyebrow. "Didn't I mention? Midas is a fan of the Green Arrow. Lord knows why. He has sent over an invitation to his party tonight."

Felicity points out, "But why? Midas would know we were trying to bust him for his toxic bullet exchange."

Oliver crosses his arms. "Could be a trap."

Dante nods. "My thoughts exactly. But you'll have two advantages: my knowledge of the Midas Medical building." His head turns to John. "And Agent Diggle's subtlety."

John raises an eyebrow. "And what exactly am I looking for?"

Bell iterates, "Anything we can use to bring Midas into ARGUS custody. We send it out to the press along with a cover story that he retreated out of the country. No one will go looking for a man reviled for chemical warfare."

Shocked, John shakes his head. "Wait a minute. I thought you guys were operating under the laws of God."

Dante raises a finger. "And I will tell you the same thing that I told William. What we do is to bring justice, NO MATTER the method."

"Yet your methods—"

"And I will not hear another word from you!"

Dante's louder-than-usual tone, his eyes that pierce like slitting daggers, stop John in his tracks. Usually, John is not deterred by such behaviors, but something is different about Dante this time around. His typical calm demeanor, similar to Oliver's, seems to have vanished. It's as if mentioning William's name triggered something.

Dante lowers his finger and voice, though it is still a growl. He does not say another word but stomps out of the room angrily.

Bell breaks the silence with, "Reconvene here within three hours. Prepare in the meantime."

Bell leaves after Dante. It is just John, Felicity, and Oliver now. They look at each other with disbelief over Dante's outburst.

Felicity asks, "What's gotten into him?"

John then remembers, "Lyla mentioned something about a fight between him and Beatrice last night after she left. She wouldn't say what, but it seems to have been about William."

"Should we be worried?"

Oliver shakes his head. "There weren't any cameras when I visited him. He checked himself."

John asks, "How will we warn Dinah about this?"

"We don't."

Both John and Felicity are surprised at Oliver's response. He continues, "I know it sounds weird, but we can't do anything from here. Dante most likely has his eyes on SCPD and us. One false move, and Knightwatch is finished."

Despite John's apparent grievances, he knows Oliver is right.

Oliver then walks to the door. "I'll go shop for a tux."

Felicity follows, wrapping a hand around his. "I'll come with. I need a new fancy dress anyways."

Just then, John utters, "Wait!" He remembers his conversation with Mia a little while ago about Oliver's past exploits and the person he once was. It only seems fair that they know about this too. "There's something you should know. It's about Mia."

---

Dinah packs away another box of the "M" category and tosses it to the side. She opens another one, reasonably sure she's getting to the "Mi" section, hoping to find Midas' records and pinpoint him to a crime committed years ago. Rummaging through almost an hour's worth of documents and folders has given her one bit of insight: SCPD should have digitized these records ages ago. Maybe they would have if she had any clerks on hand who knew how to use a scanner.

"You look busy."

Before she has the new file out, Rene is at the doorway of her office, holding a bag with the "Belly Burger" logo. Even from here, she can catch a whiff of the tantalizing chicken sandwich she usually gets there once a week.

"And you somehow know my lunch preferences."

Rene shrugs. "Lucky guess then. This is what Zoe usually gets these days."

Dinah gives a subtle, "huh," finding it curious that Rene's daughter has another common interest besides martial arts. Rene places the food bag on her table and opens it up. Along with the sandwich were containers with fries and what looks to be a Double Burger without the usual pickles, lettuce, and tomato.

Rene asks, "So, anything from the forensics guys?"

"Nothing yet, but they should be done any minute now. What about the two Dismas guys?"

"Haven't heard yet.'"

Dinah takes the sandwich and bites a large chunk out of it, not remembering how long it's been since she has eaten today. When she swallows, she feels a lump in her throat at the exact spot where her cut is. Memories come crashing down of what happened last night, her canary cry failing her, the pain in her throat exasperated beyond belief. She could feel the metal of the sword again, the words of the Deacon as he fled the scene, the blood dripping down her throat. It only happened a week ago, but every detail can be recalled as if it were yesterday. She resists the urge to touch it, not wanting to show her fear in front of Rene. Instead, she resumes eating but bites and chews more slowly.

Rene, who has yet to eat his burger, asks, "You okay?"

Dinah nods dismissively. "Just tired. I've been digging for anything on Midas, but so far—"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

She grips the back of her chair tightly. Damn it. He noticed.

"I was there, you know. I saw what happened."

She then remembers Rene being there to pull her out of the way of Silencer's vehicle. He was there to see her Canary Cry not work as intended.

"Do you need to talk about it?" From his words, he is more worried about her well-being than her powers. Dinah appreciates this, but not as much as she should.

She explains with an uneasy tone, "The doctors told me that my vocal cords were put back together but…said that my voice may not be at 100%. It was normal. I SPOKE normally. I can still yell. But the Canary Cry…" Her voice trails off, her sandwich hand dropping down onto the wrapper with a thud. "I keep thinking about that moment, OVER and OVER. Were there mutated vocals that they missed? Is this just my reality now? Am I never going to be as competent as I was?"

Rene shakes his head. "Don't say that! You have plenty of other traits. You've been leading the SCPD pretty well. You can still kick ass."

"THOSE are traits worthy of a Captain, Rene, NOT a superhero! I can NEVER be the Black Canary again." She does not know where this tone is coming from, but she does not care. She just stretches her arms around the office. "THIS…this is all I have. I can't be the Black Canary anymore, Rene."

Rene doesn't seem to be bothered by her temper. Instead, he explains, "Zoe doesn't think so. That necklace you gave her a couple months back? She wears it to school every day. Whenever kids and teachers ask about it, she says one of the greatest superheroes gave it to her."

Dinah's eyes widen in surprise. She never expected Zoe to do this sort of thing. She expected it to be something Zoe would wear only occasionally or be hung on her bedroom wall.

Rene walks over to her, looking her straight in the eye. "Your Canary Cry isn't what makes you the Black Canary, just as much as my guns or mask don't make me Wilddog. It's the kind of person you are, the example you make. It's what you leave behind."

Dinah wanted to say something to Rene, but she didn't know what. A simple thank you or maybe try to explain why it's more complicated than he thinks. However, a knock on the door interrupts that train of thought. Officer Anastas is there, holding a small box in his hand.

"Sorry to interrupt, Captain. Got a package. The delivery guy outside says it's for you."

Dinah refocuses herself. "Uh, from who?"

"Can't say."

He places the box on the table and leaves. Curious but also cautious, Dinah slowly opens the small box, which reveals a flip phone. There's no note.

She and Rene look at each other curiously before the phone rings. She does not hesitate to flip it open and answer.

"H—hello?"

"Are you alone?"

Dinah lets out a relieved sigh upon hearing William's voice. Her temper flares up again when asking, "You do realize that we could have mistaken your thing for a bomb?"

"Does that mean you're with someone?"

"Rene is here."

"Put him on then."

She quickly puts the phone on speaker.

"I'll make this quick and don't ask how I know."

Now knowing who it is, Rene comments, "These days, we don't."

"You've been tracking down a man named James Midas and his chemical-laced bullets. I think I know how to pin the distribution on him."

Dinah asks, "How?"

"You'll get the results from your forensics team, but I know the unique property of the chemical in question. He's one of the few people who uses it in his products, but that's not all. Two of his employees, a married couple, were killed in his company."

"If they were, how come I haven't gotten a report?"

"Because it's been covered up as an accident, but I think they were finding evidence of Midas' plans, something that never left the building. If I can find it, I'll be able to send it along as an anonymous tip, and you'll have enough evidence to get a warrant from the judge the District Attorney will send along."

Dinah shakes her head in disbelief. "Hang on. You mean you have Earth 2 Laurel mixed up in this?"

"I had to. Once you have the warrant, get there immediately and arrest Midas."

"Does Lyla know about this?"

"Dinah's out, but you had to know. Dante is planning to go behind your back. YOU must be the ones to arrest Midas. Knightwatch will be there as backup."

Both Dinah and Rene look at each other with surprised glances. The betrayal from the Ninth Circle was expected, but nothing prepared her for William, the one preaching about working outside the law to enforce it, to utilize the justice system efficiently. It is welcome but still unusual.

Dinah nods her head, and so does Rene. "We'll be there."

"Good. Keep the phone. It's the only way I can send the evidence through safely. And like I said, be quick.—"

Break

"Because there's a good chance he'll react to the warrant once it's out."

After hanging up, William leans his head back and lets out a relieved sigh. He lies on the rooftop and takes in the sky, its dusky orange quickly turning dark.

That's it. It's all set. Now, I get into Midas Medical and find whatever it was Bianca's parents were there to expose. It should all be a cakewa—

Suddenly, a chiming noise emits in his earpiece. He only knows two people who can talk to him through his private channel: Athena and Lyla.

He quickly picks it up. "Will here."

"William, it is Athena. We have a situation."

"What is it?"

"Your sister, Mia. She came to see Agent Diggle."

He sits up in a jolt. "About what?"

"I don't know. I followed her until she used her breach beacon. I doubt she has gone back home."

If not home, then where would she…

It then hit William, the one place she doesn't go to without strict permission from Dad and Felicity.

The Bunker! She's going to suit up and take down Midas herself.

William moves away from the ledge and paces back and forth a bit. Think William. There has to be somebody who you can trust to keep an eye on Mia. Sara Lance is prepping for her part of the mission, so she can't help. But Lyla…

---

The coordinates send Mia to what the others refer to as the "shooting range." Really, it is a bunch of tennis balls falling down at once, asking the shooter to have quick reflexes and precise timing. She could never quite get it down.

But she's not here for training. She's here to take action. She's here to get her suit and take Midas down. She needed to protect her father's city. No more compromise, just as her father would have done.

Unfortunately, she can't do that just yet. As she turns the corner, Director Michaels is in the main room, in front of the display cases. She seems to be packing one of the suits into a small, silver case. It's hard to see which one, but she can see the empty display. She never asked about it, but the design of it was odd. It was all…

Suddenly, Director Michaels stops short of grabbing the case and puts a hand to her ear. "What is it?"

Oh, come on! Now?

Mia starts to silently tap her foot. Midas' little party is only minutes away, and she has to get into uniform fast if she's to catch him unawares.

Director Michael's face flares up. "She's WHAT? When?"

Mia's foot slows down. Her hands grip the corner slightly.

Oh, please don't tell me Mr. Diggle ratted me out.

Director Michaels shakes her head. "No, I haven't seen her come here. I would've…you mean anywhere in here? Where's the nearest…"

Lyla looks towards Mia's location, making her almost jump when retreating away.

Damn it! I need to leave. Or maybe not. Maybe she won't come this way, go somewhere else, allowing me the time to…

"Why are you here?"

It takes every ounce of Mia's being to not jump out of fear. Director Michaels has uttered words that may have been death's call. It's over. Her plans are foiled. Now, there is a likely chance Midas will get away. The SCPD will mess something up, Knightwatch won't be able to pick up the pieces, and…

"I would ask the same about you."

Wait! That voice. Its…

Mia peers around the corner, seeing Director Michael's attention turned to the hallway leading to other rooms, such as the med wing or storage. Coming out is someone else that Mia dreads even more than the Deacon and Dante: Beatrice, Dante's enforcer, who killed her way through almost the entire prison outside Moscow on their last mission.

Mia sees no knife in Beatrice's hand, not even a weapon on her back. She looks at Director Michaels with a deathly stare, like a predator looking at potential prey.

Director Michaels seems to be unphased by this, keeping a neutral stare. "You don't have a reason to come here. Do you?"

Beatrice's eyes fall on the case. "What is in there?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"WHAT? IS IT?"

Both women are standing there, trying to find any excuse to cut loose or walk away. Still, Mia remains hidden, tightly clenching the wall's corner.

The intensity is finally broken when Director Michaels opens the case, presenting the contents to Beatrice. As Mia expected, it's the worn-out, ragged, and somewhat ancient suit. Yet, it has not accumulated any obvious holes or tears.

"It's a suit that one of our old colleagues wore when the Green Arrow first recruited him. It lost its power, so he entrusted it to us. We thought it was about time we tried to find a way to restore it."

Beatrice waves a hand over it but does not touch it. "This suit carries great history, as Dante has told me."

Director Michaels immediately closes it, almost cutting off Beatrice's fingernails. "Well, this historical suit is in our possession, and WE will keep it." She places it back by her side and walks away, ignoring Beatrice's more pronounced glare. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to send this over to the scientists at HQ for testing. You do whatever it is you were doing."

When Director Michaels enters the elevator and the doors close, Beatrice slams her fist onto the nearest wall behind her. "FOOL! I hid myself here for nothing. I looped our hidden cameras and kept everything anonymous for NOTHING."

Mia's eyes widened. They had cameras. Since when?

Beatrice, after some more muttering, takes a breath. "It's alright. This was just one moment of impatience. You are BETTER than this. You can still pick up her trail. You HAVE to. You can't let Dante's judgment get clouded. William Queen MUST go."

William? She's targeting my brother?

Beatrice then walks away, heading out through the Speedster route instead of the elevator. With the way clear, Mia runs to the display case containing her suit. She opens it and…hesitates. Her hand won't even grab the bow. She realizes that if she goes after Midas, Beatrice will go after William, pin him for whatever she has against him.

She needed to take Midas down. She needed to prove that her way worked. Yet…

Break

Lyla takes a deep breath. She expected someone to lurk in the shadows, but Beatrice of all people? But now, it means two things: Lyla will most likely be tailed, and Mia can take her suit to go after Midas. She could go down there via the speedster pathway, but Beatrice is most likely taking that path now. She could contact one of the others, but doing so via Knightwatch channels could expose her. Athena is not an option either since Dante will have extra eyes on her.

Without any other options, she gets on the comm to William. "Connor, it's Harbinger. I couldn't find Mia, but Beatrice was there. She's most likely on my tail. You'll need to stop her before—"

"No. The plan's already in motion. Stick with it. Get to the drop-off point."

"Well, what do we do about Mia?"

"If she was there, she would have seen you and Beatrice. Either way…

Break

"…I'll be having unwanted company. Gotta go."

William puts away the phone immediately upon arriving at the toll gate. A lone guard is there, inspecting both the limos and drivers. He takes his license out with his Connor Hawke alias, which should pass as authentic.

He lowers the window and pops his head through, telling the driver, "Dropping off Ms. Helena Bertinelli."

The guard peers through the window of the red Ferrari, seeing Helena in her purple outfit, her legs crossed. She glances his way and smiles, probably hoping that her dark mascara and gloss lipstick will charm him into ignoring any flaws with William's I.D.

The guard shows no emotion but nods without even looking at the card. "You may pass."

William passes through quickly, following the procession of cars heading towards the large, square-shaped building overhead. Its large "Midas Medical" logo and the red cross sign can be seen from even this far distance. Surrounding it are a couple of smaller buildings, most likely the labs and generator room from the blueprints William reviewed before the mission's start.

As they get closer, Helena slips on her earpiece while asking, "Talking to your superiors?"

"To a friend of mine. How's your comm?"

"Let me check." She places her ear to it and utters, "Testing. Testing 1…2…3…4."

As she talks, her words reverberate in William's earpiece. "You're good."

They finally reach the red-carpeted entrance. Before Helena leaves, William reminds her, "Do your best to keep Midas busy. He'll lock the place down if he notices ANYTHING out of the ordinary. It's imperative to find evidence for the police to receive the warrant. Understand?"

Helena nods. "I know how to handle a man like him."

Her voice is confident as his outlook on the mission. Helena steps out of the car, heading inside with a red purse hung by her shoulder and invitation in hand. William waits until Helena is invited in before driving away to where the other cars are heading out. As he goes through a gate, not seeing any vehicles behind him, he turns his headlights off and slows down, turning into the empty field, stopping just feet from the entrance next to where the lab should be. William removes his Red Arrow emblem from the glove compartment and places it in his pocket. He then removes the black hoodie, shoes, and mask for his face and eyes. He knows that for this one, vigilantes can't be seen if he can help it. The police HAVE to be given an anonymous tip.

Okay. Here we go.

---

Just entering the room, Helena sees the standard fair for these parties: the wealthy and political elites standing around, most talking about anything besides why the event is being held; tons of champaign glasses, half of which are already downed; a lot of politeness and etiquette disguised as propositions for business opportunities, legal or not. Helena missed none of it.

Out of the crowd and filled tables, she finds her target, Midas. He's looking smug, shaking people's hands, greeting strangers like they were long-time friends. She walks towards him, remembering the imperative to keep his attention as much as possible.

However, somebody seems to have done so already, Midas' wide eyes and jaw expressing joy. Helena can hear him say, "Oh, I have been DYING to meet you. I'm a HUGE fan of yours, Mr. Queen."

Queen? Oliver Queen?

To Helena's horror, it is Oliver Queen, dressed in a black blazer and trousers, a white plaid undershirt. His expression is blunt and disinterested, but he seems to be whispering something. Maybe his gloom is counteracted by the woman beside him, his wife Felicity, beaming as she shakes Midas' hand.

Oh god! Why? Why are THEY here?

Her feet stepped back instinctively, not wanting to be seen by them. However, it is too late. Oliver sees her almost immediately, his neutral stare somewhat lighted up, his eyes looking at her the same way she's looking at them.

Midas seemed to notice since he turned to where Helena stands, flashing a smile her way. "Ms. Bertinelli! You made it."

Quickly, Helena puts on her best smile, walking towards Midas and shaking his hand.

Midas continues, "In all honesty, I thought you wouldn't."

"Yeah, well…I thought I should get out of the house."

"Well, a good thing you did." He stretches his hand out to Oliver and Felicity. "I believe you are acquainted with these two. Am I correct?"

Helena's smile fades, seeing the father of the nephew she never knew she had. "We are." She stretches her hand to him. "Good to see you, Oliver."

Oliver shakes it, quietly responding, "You too, Helena."

Felicity, still smiling, gives her a quick nod.

Midas continues, "It's delightful, seeing enemies becoming friends. I'm sure you can catch up during dinner. Come!"

Midas leads them on with a spring to his step. The three of them follow, not saying a word as they walk. For Helena, this is good because her inner thoughts are having difficulty sorting out whether the presence of the Queens is a good or bad thing, both for the mission and for herself.

---

As planned, William jumped the fence and avoided security around the building. Suspiciously, it is very light except for the occasional camera and maybe a guard either sleeping or trying to catch a glimpse of the festivities inside. It didn't take him long to find the laboratory building. The windows are dark and the only entrance inside is watched over by a lone camera.

Simple.

William takes out one of his bugs and tosses it into the air. It quickly sprouts its mechanical wings and flies towards the camera, reaching the gap between the lens and casing. With the remote control built into his phone, he guides it towards the wiring and embeds it there, getting access to the camera and putting the feed on a loop.

Perfect! Time to head inside.

William shifts his head in every direction to ensure no one is following him as he heads to the door. Upon entering, he is greeted by a light brighter than the one hanging over the doorway. The hallway is as white as he expected from a sanitized laboratory, the only colors being the lines drawn on the walls. Each one corresponds to different labs, including the one he believes he needs to find.

"Restricted Research." I should start there.

He carefully heads down the hallway, slowly walking and ensuring no patrols are around. So far, it is far more light than outside. For William, it is concerning.

Why leave security like this unattend—

"Stop right there!"

William quickly put his hands up at the sound of the metallic voice, not turning around.

"You picked the wrong day to be…Wait. That gauntlet. William?"

Hearing his name, William turns around, now recognizing John in the new Spartan suit William gave him a month ago. He should have realized just by the voice synthesizer, but Spartan is rarely out, even after the assembly of Knightwatch.

"John? What are you doing here."

Spartan presses a button on his helmet, lifting his visor up. "I could ask the same about you. You're not supposed to be here."

William slowly lowers his arms while saying, "Neither are you. Did Lyla order you to do this?"

Spartan, switching his visor back down, shakes his head. "Dante. He said the operation to take down the toxin suppliers was a disappointment. He wants us to find proof and take down Midas TONIGHT."

William makes a loud grunt. As I expected.

He looks down the hallway where the restricted research lab and office are. It is so close. He could just go in there, get the evidence, and get out. But now, he has to deal with one of Dante's conundrums. If Dante does not receive that evidence, he will likely abolish Knightwatch and take full control of ARGUS. But without the evidence, the SCPD cannot act and will look more incompetent.

William turns back to Spartan and asks, "Is there any reason we can't send both to ARGUS and SCPD?"

"Besides getting ourselves into more trouble than we're already in?"

Again, he looks at the doors. Both of them have to enter. However, there is one advantage William has: anonymity.

"Only if it's two Knightwatch members. As far as Dante will know, the SCPD sent one of their own on a covert op."

John nods with a grin. "Good thinking." He looks down the hallway himself. "There's two doors. Where should we start?"

William points to the one on the far right. "There is where all records are held. I'll comb that over. Take the lab. And act quick!"

Spartan nods, rushing into the first doorway. William runs to the offices, feeling that, for once, he and the others are ahead of the Ninth Circle.

---

"And I loved how you took down Cecile Ad—the Count!" Midas makes a slashing motion with his finger. "God, that man was a brilliant mind once. I knew him as the top of his class when receiving a Ph.D. It was unfortunate that he became a disgrace to the medical community."

Oliver clarifies, "It wasn't how I intended to stop him. He took my wife hostage and tried to use her as leverage."

Midas shrugs his shoulders. "You were protecting the ones you care about. No one can fault you for that." His grinning face turns to a somewhat nervous Felicity. "Besides, you wouldn't have married this lovely woman otherwise."

Felicity takes the compliment, even while nerve-wracked. "Thank you."

Felicity's eyes turn to Helena, who has been silent since sitting at the table. She stared intensely at Midas, faking a smile when his attention turned to her.

Eventually, Midas' attention turned fully to Helena. Her look quickly lightens to a grin and welcoming eyes before he says, "It's just a shame you weren't a part of his journey. You would have made a formidable group."

Helena explains with a somewhat light tone, "We have partnered up in the past. He needed help rescuing Felicity from the Renegades, and he had no backup except for me and his old sidekick, Roy."

Midas stares at her with a large smile. "Really? Well, that's incredible. Is that how you got out of prison?"

"No, it was good behavior, mostly. I just didn't want to put the mask back on after that. I wanted to make a name for myself."

Midas nods. "And that you did." He looks over to Oliver while pointing at her. "She has been teaching English and self-defense to immigrants of Star City. Did you know that?"

Oliver nods, flashing a grin toward Helena. "I've heard. A compassionate pursuit."

"Yes, she helped out a few of MY immigrant employees. Especially…" Midas' voice trails off, seeing Helena's fake smile wearing off. His smile fades as well. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag up bad memories."

Felicity asks, though she knows she probably shouldn't, "What bad memories?"

Helena retorts, "Nothing. It's fine."

Midas shakes his head. "No. It's not fine." He sighs as if releasing a heavy weight from his body. "It was my fault, Helena. It was under my watch."

Helena's voice now sounds infuriated. "You don't have to—"

"Yes! I do." Midas sounds somber, a reaction Felicity and Oliver never expected. "I know you're here for them and Bianca's sake."

Felicity prods further against her better judgment, "Who's Bianca?"

Midas explains, "The daughter of a couple of former employees. Among my very best. Helena helped them and Bianca learn fluent English while they were under my employ…and I can't thank her enough."

Helena's fist subtly clenches one of the forks, her thumb pressing on the top to bend it further than it already is. Felicity can't help but think that Helena is imagining Midas' head as the fork.

Oliver seems to notice this too, for he says, "Well, I'm sure wherever they are right now, it's none of our—"

"They're dead."

Though Felicity and Oliver are shocked by the revelation, she feared that was the most likely possibility. She didn't expect it to come from Helena, who does not attempt to hide her contempt.

Still, her tone is subdued, "They died because of YOU."

Midas doesn't react, keeping his somber stare directly at her. "They did. And I am sorry to you and Bianca." He sits back in his chair, letting out another heavy breath. "None of it would have been necessary if they had kept to themselves."

That line makes Felicity more unsettled than anything she's encountered tonight. From Helena's wide eyes, Midas' confession surprises her more than anything.

Oliver seems to be the only one keeping his composure, even when asking, "You killed them?"

Midas turns his head to Oliver, a neutral stare on his face. "Not me. The Deacon. I tried to convince them to join us, but they would not budge. They thought exposing me would create a better future for their child, but that is FAR from the truth, Mr. Queen."

"You're selling chemical weapons to the Order of St. Dismas."

"I'm giving them the capacity to deliver JUSTICE upon these lowlifes." Midas slams his fist on the table when he yells "justice" silently. "What they could have been doing if you hadn't ruined the trade last night."

Felicity bites her lip. She knew this would go wrong, as did Oliver and John. They knew Midas wasn't a fool. Yet, they fell for this anyways.

Oliver, staying calm, asks, "So this was a trap? Get me out of the picture?"

Midas shakes his head. "No, Mr. Queen. I am here to SAVE you and your team from the clutches of Dante."

The mention of this makes Oliver's eyebrows wince, at least.

Midas continues, "We know about Dante trapping ARGUS in his net. We can help each other. I have a shipment of Chlormethine bullets already in the hands of my Blackout lackeys. They're waiting for my permission at a facility far from here. I can give you the means to go against Dante and the Ninth Circle, FREE you from their clutches."

Helena butts in with, "And let me guess? You want them to sell their souls to you guys?"

Midas' stare becomes firmer. "You think of us as the bad guys? We're sparring those who accept the Deacon's vision of Revelation: rebuilding society from the ground up, separating the wheat from the chaff." He leans further towards Oliver. "Your family can still become a part of that. The Deacon has doubts, but I don't. PLEASE."

After a few seconds pause, Oliver confirms, "We're not helping you."

Midas smirks and chuckles. "You already are."

---

Spartan heads inside, weapon drawn and flashlight waving at every corner. "Clear."

He finds a light switch by the side, the few overhead lights above illuminating the entire room, showing a row of tables stocked with lab equipment and hazmat suits. His visor immediately identifies the equipment: chlormethine powder, water, syringes, and what else to dilute the substance for medical use. Across from the tables are drum barrel containers and a vat with the more liquid form of the mustard. Further down the room is a garage door with enough space to fit at least three trucks.

William's voice rings in his ear, "Find anything?"

"A lot of equipment to make chemotherapy products, and chemical weapons." Spartan shifts his head around the room, saying, "I'm not seeing any bullets or cases anywhere."

"They're probably brought in by the Order of St. Dismas first and traded back afterward."

Spartan goes to the drum containers, searching for any unusual labeling. So far, all he could find were FDA-approved labels, which do not look forged. If the Ninth Circle had the FDA in its grasp, they would not have let this be delivered to Midas unless they knew where it was going. Besides that are the usual cautionary labels to handle with care or beware of exposure.

Break

Meanwhile, William searches the office. It is unusual, to say the least. There is a computer, but there is almost nothing on there. Not even a log of the chemotherapy drugs. A paper shredder is next to it, but it's empty. No extra files on the desks behind, no notes or reminders. Nothing. It might as well be a ghost office. The only significant object William discovers is a window blind that opens to the lab Spartan is currently exploring.

Midas takes discretion to a whole new level. Not even Lexcorp takes these types of measures with its security.

By the fifth table, Spartan asks, "What exactly are we looking for?"

William explains, "Bianca's parents came into the facility on the weekend, which isn't part of their usual routine. They must have discovered something here that proved Midas' wrongdoings."

"Well, this looks like standard medical equipment. There doesn't seem to be anything unusual except no bullet casings or anything."

Not to mention an office that is so empty, it might as well have been aban-

As William looks through the empty computer again, something hits him.

Wait a minute. This is just like Alexi Burov. He made it look like he had the coin on his person but had it hidden somewhere we didn't expect. He looks out the window. Assume that this is where Bianca's parents filmed everything. They get found out and need to hide it somewhere. They must have known the data wipe would happen, or maybe it happened after their capture. They would have hidden it somewhere they would get it later. Somewhere like…

William places the computer tower on its side and uses one of his bots, a swiss-army-like tool, to unscrew the top.

While he does this, Spartan asks, "Will, come in? Did you find any files?"

"That's not what Bianca's parents were after."

"What do you mean?"

"Bianca's parents didn't come here to snatch bullets or documents for evidence. They were here to catch the medical personnel lacing the bullets and handing them to the criminals for exchanges, something to show in court."

"Which means they must have had a smartphone or a camera on them! Right. But there isn't anything like those here. If there were, Midas would have confiscated it."

William nods as he gets the casing open. He removes the motherboard and observes carefully for any discrepancies.

Ram, CPU, GPU, drivers. It would have to be small, which wouldn't be noticed immediately. However, something that small would have fallen out into the…

He looks back into the tower casing. Almost immediately, he found it. The thin slit of a charcoal gray memory card. Taking it out reveals the Sandisk logo among the black and gray.

William grins. "Bingo."

"You found it?"

William nods as he plugs it into his gauntlet. " Bianca's parents hid an SD chip in the tower. Midas probably thought the contents got transferred to a home computer, so he searched their apartment."

He goes through the contents of the most recent photos and videos, finding a whole suite of pictures with people in hazmat suits. Everything about the room is the same, except the tables now have cases of bullets they are tampering with. Several barrels of chlormethine are right next to them, being applied to the cartridge after the dilution process, which seems to have been altered to keep the toxic effects.

William concludes, "Well if we wanted any proof that Midas is making chemical weapons, this is it."

The next photo is a document signed by Midas. The text is small but legible. William summarizes, "It's instructions on when to pick up and where to drop the chemical-laced bullets for the Blackout Gang, as well as their pay for keeping the cargo intact." He then notices the label on the top right corner. "It was sent to accounting by mistake. To Bianca's mother."

Spartan concludes, "That must have been how they found out."

Further on, he sees a large truck with the bullets hauled in. Next to it are a few members of the blackout gang. The picture is clear enough that he recognizes at least a couple from last night's exchange.

William nods. "That confirms it. They came here knowing that the bullets would be hauled in that night. There must be more."

Spartan suggests, "Check the texts."

William does so, finding a mostly barren screen. There are only two text slots for numbers he does not recognize. He hits the first one, finding a string of texts saying, "I have the footage. Where are you?" "Please answer." "Several people are closing in. I can't" The last text is left unfinished and unsent.

The husband, Bianca's father, must have been photographing and accumulating evidence. What was his wife doing?

Scrolling up, he sees a bunch of texts from earlier that evening. One is a document with a bill order signed by Midas for the shipment of chlormethine being sent out to unknown parties, on the same date as a recording, along with instructions to keep the entire matter discreet.

She must've been getting this while her husband got photos. This must have been straight from Midas' office.

With a few presses of his gauntlet, he sends the information to Spartan. "Looks like Bianca's parents were thorough. This is enough that even the Ninth Circle wouldn't bail him out if they tried."

On the other end, Spartan sighs. "All of this just to get evidence. You think they would've known the risks when attempting this."

William then remembers what Bianca said about the last time she saw her parents, the hug they gave her.

They probably knew.

William says this aloud, but the words do not emanate. His eyes widen, knowing that can only mean one thing. He turns around and sees the Silencer raise a knife above his head. Quickly reacting, he grabs the arm and thrusts himself at her.

Prepare gadget!

William pushes Silencer away enough to force her to roll. He then draws a custom-designed arrowhead and throws it just in front of her. The middle light then shines green, indicating that it has picked up the signal for her wide-reaching sound muffler. With the gauntlet, he presses two buttons, one of them to activate the arrowhead.

With great precision, a crackle of electricity hits the Silencer's belt and surges through it with immense speed. For once, William can see a look of shock and fear on her face as she quickly dispenses with the belt, which he knew would only be drained of energy and not short-circuit or explode. He grins at the clank of the belt's metal on the floor.

Before the Silencer can react, William yells, "STOP!"

She does, but her eyes are on Spartan. He seems to have seen their struggle through the window, rushing towards the door he came through.

Instead of pressing the advantage, William tells the Silencer, "Now, I don't think you want a commotion that catches the guest's attention, and neither do we. You're outnumbered. Let us go, and we'll leave you be."

Silencer smirks. "You say I'm outnumbered? I disagree."

William looks out the window again, seeing Spartan drawing his pistol out and backing away from the doorway. From the entrance, two dark figures clad in medieval helmets appear. The sword carried by one and the shield by the other indicates they are the same ones who killed the officers from the stakeout last night. Yet now, they have firearms in their off-hands, pointing them directly at Spartan, who maintains his ground.

Silencer then demands, "Thank you for finding the incriminating evidence for us. Now, hand it over!"

William raises his hands but also glances very briefly at his gauntlet. The data he sent before activating the arrowhead has been sent. He now needs to stall for time.

---

"Did you think me a fool? I knew you would have sent a spy to retrieve incriminating intel on me." Midas leans back in his chair, relaxing with a smirk directed at the three of them. "In fact, I was counting on it."

Then, Helena realizes that she has been deceived, as has Knightwatch. Silently, she curses, "You son of a bitch! This was all a distraction. YOU'RE the one diverting attention."

Midas chuckles. "Indeed I am. I knew that you would be working with these lot." His finger points to Oliver and Felicity. "Our friend in white. She told me that she noticed you two outside of the firing zone. You and that Red Arrow."

Oliver and Felicity's eyes are now on her, stares of disbelief. Oliver is at least attempting to be subtle, but Midas still notices. His eyebrow raises.

"Oh! So you aren't working with them after all? What, did you convince that Prometheus cop-out to go independent? Was he the one who told you about my operations?"

Helena says nothing. Her fingers are itching to grab the knife from her utensil set.

Midas raises his hands up as if lifting and dropping a large weight. "It doesn't matter." He places his arms on the rests and crosses one leg over the other. "The woman in white will deal with him and the other spy soon enough, and you will have no choice but to surrender. Or…" He points to his chest. "You could kill me. Right here."

"Helena!"

Oliver stares at Helena with intimidating eyes, telling her he will react if she does this. All it does is increase the itch to reach for the knife.

Midas continues. "You want vengeance. Is that it? Retribution for Bianca, knowing that her parents are avenged. Well, just know that you're only getting the man who supplied the weapon. The Deacon pulled the trigger. At least you can tell Bianca that you got me." He leans forward. "Come on! Show me who you really are, Huntre—"

"James Midas!"

A loud voice echoes behind Helena, coming fast. She turns around and sees Dinah Drake, the SCPD Captain, and a couple of other officers. Midas's relaxed stance is gone, replaced with an alerted expression and rigid movement as he stands up.

He still acts all pleasurable, greeting her with, "Captain Drake! As much as I welcome your presence, you didn't receive an invite."

One of the officers presents a warrant to Midas. "We got our own."

Captain Drake adds, "We received an anonymous tip with sufficient evidence of your supply of toxic bullets, as well as the deaths of two of your employees."

Midas' face now grimaces as he shakes his head. "I will not take such slander. Whatever 'sufficient evidence' this is, it is fabricated."

The officer with the phone hits shows photos of Midas' employees making the toxic bullets, loading them onto trucks to be shipped. The sight makes Midas' fingers twitch, a faint drip of sweat forming on his brow. Everyone in the room is staring at them, attracted to the initial commotion, then the photos. Helena can hear whispers among them when the last photo is a signed order to send the bullets to unknown associates, sealing Midas' fate.

Midas starts to stutter. "This…this isn't what it looks like."

Dinah takes Midas' hands and cuffs them. "James Midas, I place you under arrest for creating and distributing biological weapons." She turns to the officer with the warrant. "Take him away."

He takes Midas out of the room, reading him his rights. Midas does not go quietly, yelling to Helena, "You think this ends with me? Those bullets are as good as gone by now! They WILL kill as many criminals my associates get their hands on."

Still, Helena smiles as Midas screams. She got the outcome she had been striving for. Bianca can now rest easy knowing the man who sent her parents to their death is facing justice.

Captain Drake leans towards Oliver and Felicity. "Did Spartan or Red Arrow call you two?"

They shake their heads, Felicity explaining, "We thought they would have rendezvoused with you already."

Captain Drake shakes her head. "We only got the evidence. We had no word since."

Helena stands up quickly, realizing, "They're still in there. That means…"

Oliver shoots up from his seat, finishing, "We need to find that lab NOW."

Helena nods, rushing forward to the double doors leading into the labs. "Follow me!"

Felicity tries to follow, but Dinah stops her. "Wait!" She hands Felicity her cell phone. "You and the other guys need to do something else."

---

William's thoughts are preoccupied with all sorts of conversation possibilities. He needs to keep her from taking the chip too early. Spartan is still aiming at the two St. Dismas knights, but their armor is most likely bulletproof. It was the most intense staring contest, with both sides looking each other up and down. Silencer is the only one with a grin on her face. She knows that she has her prey cornered.

William, however, maintains an indifferent demeanor. "The Deacon put you up to this?"

The Silencer outstretches her hand. "Give me the phone."

"How did you not find the phone in the first place? Does it have its own jammer? Encryption you couldn't crack?"

"GIVE…ME…the phone."

"I thought you would be better than that. You uploaded that virus into Felicity's apartment months ago, didn't you? We found your code—"

Spartan intervenes, "Connor, this is NOT the time."

"—Handmade to boot. Did you make it? A sibling?"

Silencer's nose seems to crinkle at the word "sibling."

"A brother?"

The Silencer moves a few steps toward him. "Do you realize I can call for your friend to be gunned down right now?"

William tilts his head to Spartan. "My friend has military experience along with reinforced armor."

"So do mine."

"Mine is a quicker shot than them. At the very least, quicker to aim for the head."

The Silencer smirks. "Bloodthirsty. How unusual of you. But meaningless since their helmets were made to prevent bullet penetration."

Only he and Spartan know that his bullets are made of hard rubber. He chooses his words carefully, ensuring they are not far from the truth.

"You're not like your other Longbow Hunter friends. They got caught because they launched themselves into the fray. YOU didn't because you still had someone, FAMILY, to care for. Turn yourself in. We can protect you both."

She steps closer, her hand outstretched. "Hand it over." She motions her head towards Spartan, the two knights still standing with sidearms pointed at him. "FINAL warning."

William can see the confidence in her eyes. She thinks she has already won, and the cards are in her favor. She is not entirely wrong. Not unless some officers or his father breaches the lab and office. Spartan isn't of much help at the moment.

William lowers his gauntlet arm, ejects the chip, and tosses it to her. She grins as she takes out her phone and places the chip within it, accessing the contents. Though, it quickly fades. "Where is it?" She quickly taps on the screen, possibly accessing every app she can to find what she has been sent here for. "It should be here!"

Inside, William might as well be smiling in amusement. Though, he does his best to hide it.

Silencer looks up at William with gritting teeth and points at him. "Tell me where it is!"

William shrugs his shoulders.

Silencer waves her hand up to the two knights, who respond by aiming their sidearms at Spartan's head, who takes a few steps back.

Silencer now yells, "You have 5 seconds! 1…"

"The offer for protection still stands."

2…"

"Counting is not going to make the photos appear!"

"3!"

The lab entrance bursts open before she can reach four or skip to five. The first one in is Helena, who immediately takes her crossbow from her bag. She shoots the first arrow at the sword disciple, disarming him of his weapon. Oliver comes in charging at the sword disciple as she loads in a net arrow. Finally, Dinah enters, aiming her pistol at the shield disciple, already taking shots at him. Even though he blocks the oncoming fire, he is given no chance to assess the situation in front of him. The distraction prompts Spartan to shoot at the shield disciple from behind. The constant fire puts him in a shell, not even trying to fire back.

Silencer glances over for a moment, but William already sees his chance.

First, disarm her.

In that second, he stretches one hand towards her knife arm and lowers it, his other delivering an elbow to her face. With her disoriented, he flexes her wrist inward, her hand letting the blade go almost instantly as she screams.

Now, hinder her means to escape.

William twirls his hand under Silencer's wrist and raises her arm upward. His other hand clasps on her upper arm as he makes a giant step behind, shifting them around to where he is now facing her side. He then applies enough pressure to the arm muscle, forcing her to kneel down on the floor, looking almost defeated.

Meanwhile, The sword disciple cuts through Helena's net but allows Oliver to get in and slither around, employing a judo body slam, which sends his sword flying from the disciple's hand.

Even kneeling, Silencer grabs the knife and pushes herself and her grappled arm toward William.

Dexterous, but not strong enough to overpower anybody above her level. Cunning, but can get overwhelmed by strength or numbers. Not a glass cannon, but may not have the endurance to handle pressure. Use that.

In response, William bends the arm down and up while moving to her back, avoiding the blade's sharp tip. His other arm moves to Silencer's neck, applying pressure to her windpipe. She is already starting to wheeze, her blade hand shaking uncontrollably. Immediately, she lets it go, bringing her hand to his arm, desperately attempting to pry it away. He knows it is useless, and so should she.

Wait. She's not going for my arm!

William can see the shimmer of another knife in Silencer's coat pocket. With utmost speed, he takes his grip away from the arm behind her back and stops her from throwing the knife into his skull. Her free arm attempts to try and reach for his face, but it comes up weakly. When it nearly touches his forehead, it collapses, as does her whole body, as her nostrils let out a subtle snort. William takes a bit of the pressure off and gently lets her down. She still breathes, but very slowly. This is much more pressure than he should have applied to someone of her frame. Though, she was more persistent than most criminals he grappled with.

As William ensures Silencer's still in good health, Dinah and John have gotten into range of the shield disciple, taking turns distracting and flanking him. That is, until he swings his shield so wide it leaves an opening for them to grab his arms and remove the disciple's helm, a pistol whip in the back of the head ensuring a knockout.

By the time Silencer's breathing is normal, the others breach the office, weapons aimed. Oliver is the one to rush to William, asking, "Are you okay?"

William nods, standing up and pointing to the Silencer. "She'll be fine too, though she may need some oxygen. If Dante asks, Dinah sent an agent to go undercover."

Oliver nods, as does Spartan. They know that is mostly the truth.

He then turns to Dinah. "What about that info about the recent cargo?"

She assures him, "Felicity's already acting on it, as is ARGUS."

---

Roy Harper, AKA Arsenal, takes every shortcut he can with his motorcycle. He cuts through every traffic lane and takes whatever alleyway he can, reveling in the skills he has retained even after a year away from this baby. Riding a motorcycle is hard to forget, like his first bout of gymnastics on the local playground, then moving up to climbing apartment escapes and jumping over fences quickly.

Finally, he is within range of the warehouse Felicity sent to his phone, stopping short of the next corner. He gets on the comm. "This is Arsenal. I'm in position. Wilddog, Terrific. Where are you?"

---

The mobile base sits comfortably in a dark alleyway just across from the warehouse. Rene starts loading his gun with the rubber bullet cartridge William keeps insisting he uses, putting his Wilddog face on. Curtis zips up his jacket, his Mr. Terrific makeup already on and his T-spheres pocketed.

Terrific responds to Arsenal with, "Just got here. We're moving in."

"Good. Let's make it quick. I promised Thea I'd rest after taking that beating from those St. Dismas guys."

Wilddog nods, assuring him, "We'll be done before I see Zoe off to school in the morning."

---

Entering from the rooftop's skylight, Arsenal descends down from a rope arrow and gently lands on the support beam. He looks and sees a truck below. Just as Felicity predicted, members of the Blackout Gang are loading gray, sleek suitcases inside. Those that are behind the truck are being as cautious as possible, wearing yellow gloves and protective masks. Though, they are in no rush to head anywhere.

He gets back on with Terrific and Wilddog. "I have the target in my sight, along with a handful of Blackout guys. They don't seem to have been warned."

Wilddog responds, "Which means we have the element of surprise. Heads up, T-balls heading your way."

"T-SPHERES."

From the large front door ahead, three small spheres rush upwards towards the ceiling, their blue lenses focused on the truck.

Terrific tells Arsenal, "They're all targeting the guys in back. Ready when you are."

With a nod, Arsenal draws his bow with a rope arrow, aiming it at the ceiling above. His eyes are on the driver and passenger, talking and smoking.

Arsenal counts down, "In 3…2…1…GO!"

The arrow flies, latching itself to the metal ceiling. Arsenal rapidly descends, his legs bracing themselves into a kicking position. At the same time, the spheres descend down and start shooting the guys in the back. They whip out their pistols and try to shoot them down, but they prove too agile and fast.

The commotion distracts the others up front, making Arsenal's approach less noticeable. The driver turns around as soon as Arsenal is within striking distance but is knocked down hard and flying past his passenger buddy. Arsenal detaches from the rope arrow and rolls onto the floor toward his next target. Almost in one motion, he grabs the passenger's gun, flips around to his backside, elbows him in the hip, and throws him down. As the passenger tries to get up, Arsenal knocks the gang member out with a downward hook.

That move NEVER gets old.

Wilddog comes charging in from the hanger door, shooting from a distance. Arsenal knows this is just more distraction to let him keep the element of surprise. While creeping up, the three gang members are now shooting at Wilddog while attempting to grab the spheres with their hands.

Arsenal grins. This is going too well.

With the first guy's back turned, Arsenal grabs his outstretched hand and throws him down. As the second guy notices, he implements a low spin kick, catching the guy's heels and forcing him to the ground. The third member reacts, but a sting from one of the spheres disorients him and makes him miss his shot. Instead of Arsenal, Wilddog charges in with a cross straight into his face, then a hook kick to the stomach, and then a pistol whip right on the back of his head. Arsenal can just feel the crack of each blow being dealt to this guy as if Wilddog had been charging up this attack his whole life and refused to hold back. It's this blend of boxing technique but dirty tactics of street fighting.

Still, everyone is now down and out, the evidence intact and secure. Wilddog breathes out relief for Arsenal. "See. No problem at all."

Arsenal gets on the comm, reporting to the SCPD, as Felicity requested. "We have the evidence. Tell Captain Drake."

Seargent Bingsley responds, "Copy that. Good to know you guys can actually pull your own weight."

Arsenal knows that this action wouldn't bring someone as stubborn as him around, so he takes the compliment. They got the job done. That's what mattered. Also, he can get back to Thea so she can stop worrying about him.

---

William parks the limo in front of the luxury apartments. Helena does not step out, however. He can tell that there's something she wants to say. It seems like she wanted to the entire trip. However, it was a silent drive from Midas Industries, the streets less busy than usual.

Wanting to break the ice, William admits, "I saw what was on that phone."

Helena shrugs. "So? Was there other evidence of—"

"BESIDES the evidence. There was a message in there sent to you the night Bianca's parents were committing sabotage on Midas. They asked you to be her guardian, to take care of her in case whatever they were doing went wrong. THAT'S how you knew Midas killed them."

Helena takes a sharp inhale through her nose before making an unsteady breath. "I can't do it. I can't take care of her. I thought it was maybe because Midas was still at large or maybe taking her in as a known criminal would be a DETRIMENT to her reputation. But…I just don't know! Why do you even care?"

William's mind starts flipping through memories like a storybook. His mother's death, his short exodus with his father and stepmother, being separated from them and going his own way, then Bruce. The words start to form after this quiet contemplation.

He looks at Helena to get her notice. She just looks out the window but awaits his wisdom. "When my mother died, and my father took me in, he didn't know how to raise me. At least, not for a while. It will always be darkest before the dawn, but it WILL be worth it." The mention of having a dead mother gives William Helena's undivided attention. "And one other thing I know is that Bianca NEEDS a mother. She needs family. YOU."

William can see the faintest hint of a tear in her eye, even in the pitch darkness of this limo. Though, she remains surprisingly composed. His mother would mostly maintain such stoicism, and he would aspire to her endurance. Perhaps it's a Bertenelli trait passed on from generation to generation.

Finally, she answers, "My plane's waiting for you at the airport. It'll take you to wherever you need to go. The valet will drive my limo to the garage."

It's clear Helena does not want to push the topic of Bianca further, nor does he want to pester her. He nods and says, "Goodnight."

Both exit the vehicle, Helena heading towards the apartment and William walking down the block. As he disappears into the nearest alley, his phone's text alert chimes. He sees a message that says, "Package in place. You may be followed."

William nods, not daring to look up for any threats. He knows that he'll be followed. He's counting on it.

---

Bertinelli finally returns to her apartment upstairs, rushing inside and throwing her purse onto one of the chairs. She sits down on her luxury couch, hunched over and wiping away tears from her face. Whether they are of joy or sorrow is irrelevant to him. Midas' instructions were clear, as were the Deacon's.

He opens the case beside him, filled with the parts for his rifle. His eye details every piece and how to assemble them like a digital blueprint. He builds it quickly, not bothering with the scope. He never needed it then. He doesn't now.

He takes aim, his eye zooming in on Bertinelli's head, remaining stationary.

He squeezes the trigger gently, his aim steady and true. One word comes to mind.

BOOM!

---

"…and our informant helped Knightwatch to take down Midas' operations. We thought since he had connections with you, he may have had a way to intercept our communications. If I had never suspected it, I would have mentioned this to you earlier."

Hands behind his back, Dante stares Dinah down as she reports the events to him. The constant eye contact gives her shivers, but she does her best to beat the emotions down. She believes she is staring down the eyes of a demon that is plodding for a weakness, a particular lust, or a greedy desire to exploit. But no. He is the wise serpent, her emotions readable through her eyes alone.

Still, Dante nods his head. "Of course, you would. I know our organizations have gotten off the wrong foot, but I never had doubts. Still, I am amazed that you would pull a stunt like this, let alone devise this convoluted plan."

Dinah shrugs her shoulders, "Desperate times, desperate measures."

Dante grins, but she can probably tell it's fake. "Very much so."

He extends his hand to her, which she slowly takes. "I very much look forward to our new partnership, Dinah."

"If we're on a first-name basis, maybe I should know yours."

Dante laughs. "Unfortunately, no. Discretion is still a top priority for me."

She nods, not finding it amusing. She asks the million-dollar question, "What exactly will happen to those poison-laced bullets?"

"That's been my question."

A familiar voice enters the room. The absent Lyla Michaels finally shows her face.

Dante greets her, "Come in, Director. I was wondering where you've been off to."

"Concerned about me?"

Dante can practically feel her tensity, despite her stoic efforts. It is genuinely amusing. "In a sense."

"I had an errand to run. Beatrice can vouch for me."

Beatrice?

"She's seen you? When?"

"What will you do with the poison bullets?"

Pity. Dante gets nothing from her, at least for now. He maintains his grin. "They will not be used indiscriminately if that's what you're concerned about. These are a deterrent to ensure that those who cannot be taken down conventionally will know our TRUE might. A last resort, so to speak."

Dinah raises an eyebrow. "You think you can maintain a Cold War against criminals?"

Dante chuckles. "Captain, who do you think made those arrangements? The U.S. and Soviets would have destroyed the whole world without our intervention. The same applies to the bullets. They will guarantee safety and peace. That is all we wish for."

The two women look at each other with concern, probably asking each other if what Dante told them is true. Frankly, it is only half true. The previous Ninth Circle actually created those silos for the U.S. and Soviets with built-in bomb mechanisms to ensure that no one used them, and they would profit from the wars and spread of communism, the U.S. being a stopper of sorts so that the Soviet's expansion wouldn't hurt every country's margins. An uneven peace, but effective while it lasted.

Still, both women nod, with Dinah saying, "I need to get back to the station and fill out reports."

Dante waves a hand to the door. "Don't let us hold you."

Dinah nods to Lyla and walks off, leaving her and Dante alone.

After a moment of silence, Lyla asks, "Is any of what you said true?"

Dante does not deny anything. "Believe whatever you want. Now, WHERE were you?"

Lyla repeats, "On an errand. Beatrice can—"

"Where was it, and where is Beatrice?"

Lyla crosses her arms. "At the Bunker. Wouldn't she have told you?"

For once, Dante instinctually looks down, but only for a moment. He can't think of a rebuttal for Beatrice not watching her words, her punishment for such. He can't be seen as weak. Lyla could exploit it.

Dante looks at her again. "She probably forgot to. Happens to the best of us. I'll contact her tonight and see."

Lyla nods. "That, you should."

Dante nods. "Well, now that we're in agreement, I must go on an errand myself."

As he leaves the office, Lyla asks again, "You still haven't told me what you'll do with those poison bullets."

He ignores her and leaves, knowing she'll know better than to follow. He takes his phone from his pocket and starts to text Emiko, telling her, "The time has come. Text your brother and his wife."

He then scrolls through the previous text he had gotten from Bell, detailing the final stages of the project. From the looks of things, it just needs one more item for TRUE global domination: an intelligent surveillance system that is foolproof and can be integrated into more than cameras. He knows just where to look.

Time to see how Archer has progressed.

---

With the case in hand, William makes it to the outskirts of Star City's airport. He parks the bike just in front of Helena's private jet. It is just as she described it: smaller than the others and not shiny or clean. He can already tell that it hasn't been used for a while.

He takes the keys, assuming he will need them later, especially when…

Suddenly, another bike jumps out from behind, following the trail he took and stopping just in front of him. Even with the biker's jacket and pants, he can already tell who she is. Removing her helmet confirms his suspicions.

Beatrice looks him in the eyes, a smug stare forming. "Thought you could get away without anyone noticing?"

William remains neutral in both stance and stare. "I had suspicions."

"And yet you came here without even checking once?"

William kicks the bike's stand down and starts to approach her. "I wanted you here. To talk."

Beatrice kicks hers down more forcefully. "You forfeited that privilege when you disobeyed Dante's orders!"

"I took it as a mere suggestion. Does HE have anything to say about my activities?"

She outstretches her hand. "Hand me the case. There will be no more penalties if you do as I say."

William does nothing, continuing with, "Unless you haven't told Dante about ANY of this. It's why there aren't any Ninth Circle cronies here, why you're alone with no backup."

She reiterates, "GIVE ME the case."

"How does it feel? Rebelling against your leader like this? Following your own instincts? Does it feel like you're doing the right thing?" He takes a couple of steps further. "I assume Dante did more than just train you. He RAISED you. It is one thing to honor your father, but to do sadistic things for him? Are you even sure that THIS is what you are? An assassin? Or is that what he molded you to be?"

Beatrice stands there, saying nothing, her hand now within reach. It is hard to tell if he is getting to her; her face is like a stone wall. She's obviously been trained to repress most emotional responses.

Still, William persists, "Beatrice…you were named after the woman who guided the poet through Heaven, showed him its splendor and glory. That's not the role Dante has given you. His judgment is clouded. We can both agree on that. But he's skewed yours LONG before. You may think it's too late, but it's not."

Beatrice's grimace becomes more pronounced, and one of her feet shifts back into a fighting position. Once more, she commands, "GIVE. ME. THE CASE."

William expected this. He knew the talk most likely wouldn't work, not with someone who has killed so many and possibly trained herself to repress any regret. Still, he thought it worth a try to poke Beatrice's emotional barriers for anything he could use.

So, he nods. "Fine."

He places the case down in front of Beatrice. With a smirk, she takes it in her hand.

"Once I confirm the contents, I'll escort you back to…"

In the distance, William can hear another engine roaring. Turning slightly, he sees another motorcycle showing no signs of stopping. In fact, the cycle seems to be at almost ramming speed. Though, it is not aimed at him. It's heading towards Beatrice.

The cyclist stands on the motorbike and jumps off with a backflip, almost like seeing the hammer of a gun shoot a bullet forward. Beatrice drops the case and rolls out of the way, thankfully taking the case with her. Though she might be less inclined to open it now.

Whoever this person is, she is armed with a bow and arrow, wearing a dark suit with a yellow…

"Mia!"

---

Mia makes it just in time. She leaps off the bike, breaking up the exchange. Unfortunately, whatever William handed over to Beatrice is now in her hands. Mia then takes out her bow and quickly lets a concussion arrow fly. Beatrice's reaction time, however, is faster. She grabs the arrow and knocks it into her own bow with a more lethal arrow.

"Beatrice!"

William's scream draws Beatrice's attention, giving Mia the chance to…

"Mia, don't!"

He raises a hand toward her. She hesitates, but the urge to knock the next arrow remains strong.

William's eyes are fixed on Beatrice's. "I didn't plan this. This is NOT an ambush. Verify the case, and let us go."

Beatrice wears an unnaturally psychotic smile, which makes Mia's instinct to shoot more prominent.

"Oh, I already know what's in here. The very suit that protected the Jewish people during their exodus into the desert, into the land of milk and honey." Beatrice unlatches the top of the case. "Now, it will be used to bring the wrath of God upon—"

When it opens, no suit lies inside. Instead, some transponder beacon starts flashing blue lights. The psychotic smile on Beatrice's face fades while a grin on William's appears. Mia is more confused than anything.

What is he trying to—

Suddenly, some big, blurry white object flies down from the plane, knocks Beatrice to the ground, and forces the transponder from her hand. As it focuses into view, Mia can see that it is, in fact, a person, rolling both Beatrice and her from the transponder.

Is that…Sara Lance?

Mia now recognizes Sara, the captain of the Wave Rider, in her white suit, similar to the Black Canary suit from the Bunker. Sara is here to save them from their predicament, as she helped them with the Monitor's annoying tests a couple months back.

Mia looks back at the transponder. Is this meant to be a signal for her?

Even with Sara's surprise attack, Beatrice rolls free from her and takes the next arrow out. She fires at William, who responds by throwing an arrowhead from one of his pockets. It splits the arrow in two, cutting the bowstring as well.

He takes out his Red Arrow emblem with his other hand and puts it on, the nanites wrapping around him slowly. Still, he charges in without hesitation, and so does Beatrice. Mia takes out a tranquilizer arrow, ready to knock her out.

---

Oncoming assault will be feral and bloodthirsty but no less experienced or unaware. Mia's prepping a tranq arrow, but it most likely won't work. First, dodge.

With his Red Arrow suit assembled by the legs, he dips down into a lunge, dodging Beatrice's swing. As expected, Mia releases her arrow, and Beatrice quickly catches it. She then directs it to Red Arrow's yet-to-be-concealed face. However, his gloved hand traps the wrist just as it forms.

Throw opportunity presents itself.

He quickly reaches under her arm with his free hand and employs a shoulder throw that sends her back first to the floor and the tranq arrow sliding towards Mia. By then, his complete suit forms, his HUD activating, and his peripheral sensors are active.

Now, go for the finisher.

Red Arrow goes for a hammer to the face, but Beatrice quickly rolls out of the way and charges in for him. Reacting promptly, he raises one leg to cover her abdomen, and his arm pushes up her neck. They weaken her posture, preventing her from taking over in what would have been a mount and possible strangulation. He shrimps to the side and kicks her away.

Coming up behind Beatrice is Mia, who swings at her with a yell, almost like a barbarian giving her position away. Beatrice blocks it, retaliating with brutal strikes.

Red Arrow looks to his side and finds the intact tranq arrow.

Our best option. She's too fast and aggressive for a simple knockout. Attack both sides at once, and look for an opportunity.

He takes the arrow in his hand and charges at Beatrice, who is now overwhelming Mia with her lightning-fast bow swings. Mia can keep up, but just barely. The sweat on her brow makes this apparent.

First, disarm the bow. She'll be more vulnerable while unarmed.

Before Beatrice can make another swing, Red Arrow takes it in his hand and pulls it and her upwards. He attempts to insert the tranq arrow into her as she hovers, but she adapts, letting the bow go and dropping to one knee. She retrieves a hidden knife from her boot and attempts to slice his leg with a reverse grip. However, she only scrapes the plating.

Doesn't know my weak points, like the Deacon does. Good.

He kicks her away. As she rolls off, he breaks the bow in two, the shattered splinters scattering across his padded knee.

---

Mia, watching all of this, takes her breather. Far to her side, she hears Sara's groan, getting up to her knees and shaking her head. Mia rushes to her side, wrapping Sara's arm by her shoulders.

"You okay?"

Sara nods. "I thought I had her pinned. Will wasn't exaggerating about her."

The next thing they see is Beatrice kicked away, her bow destroyed. However, she is not unarmed.

Not wanting to delay, Mia gets back into the fight, despite Sara yelling, "Mia, WAIT!"

This time, Mia keeps her distance and attacks Beatrice with the top end of her bow. Beatrice, however, manages to dodge it and attempts to dash in with multiple stabs. Mia stumbles when trying to keep away from her, almost tripping over herself. The blade is now closer to her face than she likes. Thankfully, Sara comes in swinging a baton, forcing Beatrice to duck and spin back before she can get in a killing stab. Sara's swings are wild but deliberate, each aiming at different body parts. Beatrice's reflexes make up for it five times over, even finding room for a lunge or slash before retreating into a slip.

Red Arrow eventually charges in with a cross to her face. She blocks it, but whatever the suit is made of throws her off balance. This encourages him to push further with a kick to the back of the leg, forcing her to her knee. Sara swings downward, but Beatrice rolls away.

Here's my chance.

Being wise, Mia steps in as Beatrice gets out of her roll, grabbing her knife hand and disarming it with some pressure to her wrist. She then applies a knee strike to the back of Beatrice's leg, forcing her to kneel once more.

Seeing Beatrice incapacitated, Red Arrow walks toward her with the tranq arrow. He gives a slight nod to Mia, who can't help but grin at his ack—

"Mia, look out!"

Suddenly, a sharp pain flares in Mia's leg. One of her arms lets go of Beatrice's and traces it back to find a deep cut, blood dripping to her foot. Mia looks at her, seeing two more being retrieved from her boot.

How many does she—

Her thought is interrupted by Beatrice zooming in and throwing Mia to the ground. She didn't even register it happening. It takes her a few seconds to realize where she is right now. Beatrice's leg presses her torso as she reaches into Mia's quiver, takes an explosive arrow, and throws it on the ground ahead of her.

The yell of Red Arrow saying, "Get back!" is almost muffled by the explosion afterward.

Ignoring the pain, Mia pushes Beatrice's leg away and stands back up, her movement hindered by the pain in her leg. Beatrice comes back in, this time with a flurry of knives. Mia does her best to pat down, slip, and dodge each motion. She keeps her mind busy with other thoughts to ignore the pain each step gives her.

Come on, think. THINK. This is what Will does, what he tells you to do. This is the ONE valuable thing he taught you besides…besides…

"Variable acceleration."

Her mind thinks back to her training sessions with Will, with how he can outclass her every time she seems to be getting the upper hand.

"You change your speed, trip up your opponent, open them up to attack."

That's when it hit her. Beatrice isn't just fast. She relies on speed. Whatever her opponents are doing, she tries to outpace them until she is fast enough to land a hit. Her attacks are all the same, flowing in and out in a pattern.

I don't have to outclass her. I need to trip her up.

With that in mind, Mia slowly picks up the pace, focusing only on the flow she and Beatrice are creating. It almost feels like slow motion now, where Beatrice is slightly faster than her. Eventually, the linear path of her attacks is ingrained into Mia's mind.

From the corner of her eye, Red Arrow is running back to join them again. Beatrice clearly hears this, her feet shifting as she attempts her second stab after the forearm and back arm slash.

NOW!

With one last pass, Mia moves in and, with that same hand, elbows Beatrice's chin hard. Her feet, as well as her whole body, lump towards Red Arrow. Pressing the advantage, Mia wraps Beatrice with her arms like a seat buckle, her weight keeping her opponent stationary.

Finally, Red Arrow jabs the tranq arrow into Beatrice's neck. She struggles, doing her best to get Mia off her. In mere seconds, her angry grunts become exasperated breaths. As far as Mia knows, this is the longest anyone has gone after being tranqed. Eventually, she can feel Beatrice's knees weaken enough to let her go.

Beatrice falls down with a plop but maintains consciousness long enough to say, "You brats…will get…" Her eyes close shut before she can utter one more word.

As Mia tries to relax, a loud sound of a breach in the sky alerts her. Looking up, she sees the Waverider descending down next to the plane. It lands in front of Sara, who is getting back up more slowly this time.

Mia rushes to her aid once more. "Can you walk?"

Sara nods and points to the ship. "Med bay inside. Get us there."

Red Arrow comes by and lifts Sara's arm onto his shoulder. "I have her. You have enough to worry about."

Mia looks down at her leg, the deep cut and lost blood. She had almost erased the pain from her mind up until this point. She then looks at Beatrice. "What about her?"

Red Arrow assures her somewhat cryptically, "Leave her. We'll be here to pick her up."

Considering that this is time travel logic, Mia does not question it. Instead, she walks with them, meeting the other crew members who escort them inside.

---

Being back on the ship, Mia is impressed with the tech this ship provides. Her wounds are immediately healed, as if Beatrice never slashed her shin. She can even move it around and put some weight on it while standing.

Sara Lance reminds her, "Don't get too excited. We're not going to be around to heal you 24/7. Next time, THINK before pursuing your brother."

She walks on it, amazed that she can move both legs without much effort. Still, the thought of nearly messing up William's plan bothers her. Why wasn't she in on this? Was she the only one left out? If she was…

The doors to the med bay open, revealing William out of his suit. He walks in and asks Sara, "Can you give us a minute?"

Sara nods, walking out without a word. William looks at Mia from knee to face. "You're looking better."

Mia, despite her astonishment at this place, shrugs her shoulders. "Pretty good tech."

William crosses his arms. Mia knows what that means. "Are you mad at me?

"Plenty."

Mia sighs. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You weren't supposed to. None of Knightwatch knew. But now, here you are."

Mia can't help but lower her head.

"But I'm more curious about the events that brought you to the airport."

Hearing this, Mia bites her lip a bit. She should have known it was going to come to this.

William explains, "Athena told me you were asking John about Dad, about the kind of vigilante he was. Did Dante prompt you to do this?"

She shakes her head. "No! Well, kinda."

William tilts his head, clearly confused.

Mia takes a deep breath before explaining, "I overheard Mom and Dad talking about me, what I did in the Gulag's underground ring. He was worried that I was becoming what he was back then. I just wanted to know what he meant. I mean, you know the feeling, don't you?"

William's hands move to his hips, but he nods. "I do. There was a time when I wanted to know who Dad was, especially when my mom kept him from me. But the deeper I delved, the more I knew…the more I feared becoming him, the more I wished he had explained it to me earlier. It took me a while to accept what he had done, to look at him for who he is now. My advice, Mia. Don't compare yourself too much to Dad. Ask yourself who YOU want to be."

Mia isn't so sure about that but nods anyways. "Are you sending me back?"

"No."

Mia is a bit surprised to hear this.

"You were either heading back on your own or were going to crash the meeting. The second option means you're roped into this, so now I need you to tag along."

Mia instinctively grins.

However, William points out, "So long as YOU do what I say, TO THE LETTER. I won't let you risk your neck like that again unless I allow it. Understand?"

Mia nods enthusiastically. "Got it."

The doors open again, and Sara Lance reappears. She looks a bit pale, her expression clearly that of worry.

"You two with me, NOW."

---

William and Mia are led into the bridge, to the holo-table that can show nearly any event in time or hail other ships. William remembers using this to find holes in Arkham Asylum when Jon Deegan turned it into his fortress from where he can rule his reality. Now, it displays the names of the people he had requested the Legends of Tomorrow to find.

Sara briefs them, "Good news is, as you can see, we've found everyone for you and picked out the best times for you to find them."

Ray inputs information through some keys and tells them, "I've even put them in chronological order for you."

All the names and images go from left to right, from the earliest in the timeline to near the present day. Their first target dates back to three weeks in Israel. He is kneeling in front of an altar inside one of the Jewish temples, praying alone.

William, with his arms crossed, nods. "We can download this into my suit. What's the bad news?"

Ray nods, calling, "Gideon, put the time alert on display."

Gideon, the Waverider's computer, announces with almost a thunderous voice, "Ten minutes ago, a time anomaly took place within one of the richer districts of Star City."

Mia jumps at the voice, murmuring, "Now I know why I forgot about this place."

"Someone has been shot within their own apartment by an unknown assassin. The victim: Helena Bertinelli."

William's eyes are fixed open, his voice whispering, "Helena." He then processes the timeframe Gideon mentioned. "Wait a minute. I dropped her off just a minute before then!"

Mia then suggests, "We can go back then, stop it from ever happening."

William shakes his head. "We can, but not now. With our given timeframe, we can find these targets and save Helena. Still, we'll need to be prompt. Where's the case?"

"Right here!"

Wait a minute. That voice!

William looks to where it came from, seeing a familiar but virtually impossible sight.

"In mint condition and ready to go."

William doesn't imagine this. He's here. A friend he was told was lost. Zari confirmed this, killed by ARGUS agents. Walking up to him, with the case in hand, is…

"Behrad?"

Behrad doesn't seem phased by William's surprise, nor is he expecting it, because he continues, "Yeah, I know, it's been a month since we saw each other last. Actually, it's been months for me."

He talks like Behrad. His face is one William recognizes. His full beard is replaced with something thinner and a grown-out mustache. Also, his somewhat long hair has been cut to resemble something more modest.

He shakes his head, asking, "No, I mean your…here!"

Behrad just laughs. "Yeah, I know. We just had this whole adventure where we were facing off against a demon who wanted to release all the forces of Hell upon the earth, and we…"

William ignores all else when he notices something: The air totem around his neck, which should be in Zari's possession after Behrad's passing.

"…And we sang a song to bring Nate to life. Just bizarre!"

William asks, "Where's Zari?"

Sara asks, "Behrad's sister? Why do you care?"

William notes Sara's reaction to his question. Clearly, she does not recognize Zari as a long-time friend.

Behrad assures him and Sara, "It's all right. I would have loved to bring her along too, but she's too busy with her duties as a social media influencer."

Social media influencer? But that means… She did it! She helped to change the future. ARGUS isn't a police state anymore. But…I wonder.

"Gideon, bring up Star City in 2040 real quick."

The hologram now changes to a newspaper article from 2040, still in near destruction and chaos. Actually, it is now more in turmoil than when William left. There are dead bodies everywhere behind a set of two men and one boy. The two men are from the Order of St. Dismas, wearing the suits not of the typical disciple but that of the Deacon and Chimera. And the boy…he recognizes the boy too. It looks like…

Wait a minute!

William turns to Mia. "Mia, you said you got here by trying to stop Noah from getting to the future but failed. Did you ensure the machine he used was inoperable?"

"I—I think so." Her eyes move upward, her tone uncertain.

If she did, she didn't do substantial damage. I'll have to think about it later.

William grabs the case from Behrad, with many theories running through his head that he must ponder. He turns to Sara. "Get us some dessert wear. We'll need it."

Sara nods, motioning him and Mia to follow.

However, Behrad follows, asking William. "Hold up. What did you see? Something bad?"

William answers, "Maybe if we don't find the others."

Behrad persists, "For what? What can they give you?"

William just keeps his idea to one word.

"Help."

---

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! Be sure to favorite the story if you like it so far, and leave a review sharing your thoughts. Also, don't forget to click follow on both the story and my account so you don't miss when a new chapter comes out.

One final thing I wanted to say: Rest in peace, Arrowverse. All shows besides "Superman and Lois" have premiered their last seasons, the CW has been bought out, and any shows slated to come out for the Arrowverse have been scraped. While I have personally stopped watching DC's CW shows after season 7 of "Arrow" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths," I look back fondly on the adventures of Green Arrow, Flash, and the Legends and will miss these shows. While I wish "Legends of Tomorrow" could get a proper conclusion (hearing news about how it was canceled), all good things must end. I thank the CW for giving us some fantastic shows and a connected multiverse that, for a time, could have competed with the likes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thank you again for reading, and I hope to see you guys in the next chapter.